Find Out How Chef Paul Desiano is Preparing for Ridgefield's Culinary Showdown
In a culinary showdown similar to those featured on television shows such as Top Chef and Chopped, three seasoned chefs will match sharp knives and quick wits for the benefit of Founders Hall on Sunday, June 4, from 4 – 7 pm.
Chefs Mike Anastacio, Paul Desiano, and Germano Minin will compete to create an entree from a basket of surprise ingredients, in just sixty minutes, in front of a live audience. A panel of food experts, including Ridgefielder Brendan Walsh (Dean of Culinary Arts, the Culinary Institute of America) will judge the chefs on their creativity, craftsmanship and culinary results as the crowd cheers the chefs on.
How are the chefs preparing? What is their "recipe for success"? Find out right here on HamletHub as we showcase each chef! Today, we showcase Chef Paul Desiano.
Fun-fact: Desiano says, "I'm lucky to have best sous chef in the world, my wife Ai. We've been working together almost every day since before we were even dating 12 years ago."
Chef Paul Desiano
How are you preparing for this much-anticipated culinary showdown?
Like most chefs, I do a lot of productive mental preparation while cooking. Some of my routine tasks like chopping, sautéing, of enjoying wine allow for good creative time. And when it clicks, you know it in an instant. Look out, my appetizer creation 'clicked' a days ago; I'm excited to present it to the guests.
Do you know your fellow Chefs?
I do not know them personally, but from what I gather, they seem like nice who enjoy their work. I took my mom out to dinner at Purdy's Farmer and the Fish a few weeks ago and we enjoyed it. We also look forward to eating outside at the Village Tavern with the kids if we even get some nice Spring weather
Favorite meal to cook at home for your family/wife/significant other?
Sunday Gravy. It's something I started at Plate/Cello. The idea is multi courses of fresh rolled pasta (vegetarian, seafood, classic sauce), some braised meats, meatballs, sausage and tomato gravy. I make a killer gravy and do so in 40 quart batches so that's our "go to" hostess gift, a basket with wine, imported pasta and my gravy!
Fan of the TV shows Top Chef or Chopped?
I enjoy watching Chopped, especially when someone I know is competing (they are 4 for 4 on winning it too). I auditioned for the first season of Top Chef during my Aquavit time. I made it all the way to the screen test and was a little bummed when I wasn't chosen. Those were the days when they had line cooks on the show, now it's some pretty seasoned chefs who make up the cast. A buddy of mine was a contestant on Top Chef last season.
You have 60 minutes to win over the judges by your culinary creativity, craftsmanship and results. Enough time?
60 minutes may not seem like a ton of time, but I've gotten quite good at thinking quickly and I'm lucky to have best sous chef in the world, my wife Ai. We've been working together almost every day since before we were even dating 12 years ago. We both started in Aquavit's kitchen and in those days Marcus Samuelsson was doing some pretty edgy stuff. We definitely learned the "Gotcha" component to a creative dish while there.
What do you hope is in your basket of surprises? Anything you don’t want?
Something cool to butcher...like I said before, butchering is one of those skills that really gets the creative ideas flowing plus the bones will help make a great sauce. Id also like something with strong acidity...there is a lot of versatility with acid. I don't want to see anything boring like chicken or a winter ingredient. There is nothing like summers in New England, so baskets reflecting that would be awesome.
What’s your recipe for success?
Picasso said it best, "Learn the rules like a pro, so you can break them like an artist". I bring a lot of passion and commitment to everything I do so I guess it's a refuse to fail attitude.
Tickets and more information on Battle of the Chefs are available at www.founders-hall.org or by calling Founders Hall at 203-431-7000. Event sponsors: Fairfield County Bank and The Chefs’ Warehouse.
Purchase tickets to Battle of the Chefs here.