Menu Changes

As you all probably know part of being a chef involves the creative process. I like to change items on my menus when I get a great idea, or when I am bored with a dish, but most importantly to improve on what we are already doing.  When The Florentine opened in mid November, I was not happy with a lot of the food for dinner, so we changed about 60% of it.  I really like what I did, the food was more about how I felt, and really about food that would match the room.  What I mean is that I truly believe that food must speak of the city it is being cooked in, and of the room it is being served in.  I have always felt as a Chef that this was very important.  We have made a few more changes to the menu since then, and even more last night.  We have been very fortunate to receive some wonderful press and some very favorable reviews.  This has not stopped my creative drive, it has only driven me to do more, and create more, to evolve!  Last night in addition to changing some things on the dinner menu, I changed the entire lounge menu.  It really speaks of what I want our bar menu to be.  We added some salumi, lowered the amount of items on toast, and even added a great veal meat ball dish served over rich, creamy Anson Mills polenta. There are more changes than those listed, come check us out.

It has been a long While

So I created this blog last year and then got tied up with so much, that I let it go. Today I am basically starting over. A lot has gone on since I started Salty Parts. I left my position at Cibo Matto and have become the Chef at The Florentine Restaurant, also in Chicago. In addition personally I got engaged, and could not be happier about both. We are currently in week seven since we opened. Let me tell you it has been the most challenging, and most rewarding experiences I have had. I was lucky enough to have most of my staff from Cibo Matto join me here. Most importantly my two Sous Chefs, Mark and Rusty. With out them it would have been rough, really rough. Today we were awarded three stars by the Chicago Tribune. It was an incredible review and made me very proud of our entire staff. It is kind of crazy to be reviewed so quickly, I really did not think we were ready yet, but the last few weeks have felt really good. We really feel like we are starting to click. So for tonight I will leave you with that, and promise that there will be a lot more to come. Thanks to those of you that have dined with us so far, and to those who have not, we look forward to having you soon!

Pan roasted chicken livers with anson mills polenta, pancetta, caramelized onions
villa manodori balsamic at cibo matto

First Post

As a chef in Chicago, I have been thinking about writing a blog for some time. Hell I read a ton of them on a daily basis some good, some not so good. I have been cooking professionally for the last 16 years and am currently cooking the food I love from Italy. Nice Jewish boy from the north shore cooking Italian food you ask. The best thing about growing up Jewish was the constant discussion of food, even when we were eating. I believe that being Jewish, and being Italian are similar, we all love our mothers, even though they annoy us, and we all love food, so there!

I am sitting in a hotel room in New York thinking back over my the past sixteen years, and thinking about the crazy times I have had, the crazy chefs I have worked with and for. I would not change any of it at all, it has been a great ride. Fifteen years ago I came to New York with Keith Korn, the very first chef I worked for, to cook at the James Beard House, and now I am cooking there myself this coming Saturday. I am extremely excited, and nervous at the same time. The menu is killer, and the wines are going to be perfect. I will be updating the blog on Friday and Saturday, with photos, and some video of the event.

My goal with this blog is to discuss my life, in and out of the kitchen, talk about the past a little bit, and let you into my world.