Friday, Aug. 15, 2008

Publisher pulls kitchen duty

By LANCE WINTER

News-Mirror Publisher

I’ve always considered myself a bit of a foodie.

You know, that person who not only likes to eat food, but also, and more importantly, likes to get in front of the stove and whip it up...literally!

Recently I had the opportunity to see what it’s like to be a sous chef at one of Mansfield’s most popular independently owned restaurants. I made arrangements to spend a morning at La Gondola Fine Italian Cuisine.

Strolling in around 10:30 a.m. I was greeted by none other than co-owner and master chef Salvatore Cucci. Sensing that I felt a little nervous, Sal presented me a lunch and dinner menu to look over so I could familiarize myself with the cuisine.

There were slight variations to the menus, but everything read deliciously.

Shortly before 11 a.m. I decided to peek into the kitchen. There was Sal, thinly slicing some Panchetta (that’s bacon in Italy). I remarked on how much I love the stuff and before I knew it, Sal sliced me up a plate full. It was then that I started to relax and get into watching this chef of more than 30 years turn out the dishes.

I wanted to get the experience of preparing some food of my own, but didn’t want to interfere with the dinner service. Sal graciously allowed me a stove to prepare a few of their menu selections. We began by making a beef carpaccio. That is a paper-thin slice of raw beef fillet served on a bed of arugula along with shaved parmigiano and extra virgin olive oil.

Next, he allowed me to grill an enormous piece of salmon for a salmon salad. It was anything but ordinary with a delicious remoulade sauce he discovered on the Food Network. He took it, made a few variations to it, and came up with a winner.

Finally, I was permitted to begin preparing what perhaps is my favorite dish: the Campellini alla Pescatora. It comes with clams, mussels, shrimp and calamari served over angel hair pasta in either a light marinara sauce or a white wine garlic sauce.

It was fantastic cooking this dish on the huge gas stoves and watching the flames leap out of the pan as it engaged the sauces.

Shortly thereafter Sal set me up at a booth so I could taste my creations. Overall I can say that I did great job – with Sal’s help.

After stuffing myself I eased back into the kitchen and visited a little more with my new culinary friend. On closer inspection I noticed something. Not a single dish prepared there had any pre-packaged ingredients. No pre-breaded chicken or beef or pre-battered shrimp. Everything was fresh.

"Everything is sautéed," Cucci said. "Nothing is pre-packaged. Even our sauces are made by hand and everything is cooked fresh to order."

Watching Sal interact with some of the regulars made it clear that he loves his customers and they love him back. Several approached the cooking station window to wave at the 59-year-old culinary master.

It began to get busy at the noon hour and Sal was steady as a rock. I really don’t know how he kept up with it.

"You have to organize yourself in the kitchen," he said. "Most time you start with the most difficult and work your way to the easiest."

It also helps when you have another great cook in the kitchen. At La Gondola, that’s Paul Register. He, too, knows his way around a stove.

What an experience I had as we cooked our way through the lunch service. I also relished the chance to get to know Sal. I asked if he was trained at a famous culinary school like Le Cordon Bleu or perhaps the Culinary Institute of America.

It was neither. This great cook was taught by his Sicilian mom.

Sal would also tell you that he learned a lot from other executive chefs as well.

As much as I loved being part of the enterprise that is a restaurant kitchen, I had to admit that I’m better suited to and content with my own kitchen and the cuisine I create there.

I’ll leave the restaurant business to experts like Sal.