GHINI’S FRENCH CAFFE, Coralie Satta, owner/chef
Was your mother a good cook? What memories do you have of cooking with your mother or grandmother?
I learned so much from my mother and grandmother. My recipe for Eggs Provencale originated with them, although in the restaurant I make it in a sauté pan instead of baking it in the oven.
What is your favorite cooking tool?
Ingredients are more important than tools. We emphasize freshness and simplicity, using only whole and locally grown foods. What ingredients are you excited about using this spring? I always love to cook with fresh herbs, like basil, tarragon, and thyme.
GOURMET GIRLS GLUTEN FREE BAKERY/BISTRO, Mary Steiger, chef/co-owner
Was your mother a good cook? What memories do you have of cooking with your mother?
I started baking when I was 8 years old, and not with an Easy-Bake Oven. I jumped right into the real thing, making desserts for the family from scratch every day. My mom taught me how to read recipes and work with fractions during the process. We celebrated the end of each nightly meal with a dessert created by the two of us.
What is the first dish you ever learned to make?
The very first meal I ever made was scrambled eggs and toast to feed my mother, who was having a sick day. And so began my lifelong passion for nurturing with food.
What’s your favorite cooking tool?
In general, anything stainless steel! In particular, I love whisks of any size.
MAYNARDS MARKET & KITCHEN, Anthony Coluci, executive chef
Was your mother a good cook? What memories do you have of cooking with your mother?
Yes, absolutely. We were always having dinner as a family at the table, five nights a week or more. No television, just spending time together. I’m old school that way. My mother made a killer chicken and dumplings and she always included us in the process.
What’s your favorite cooking tool?
The blender, definitely. I can pretty much make a sauce out of anything.
What ingredients are you excited about working with this spring?
I’m looking forward to peas, fava beans, heirloom tomatoes and asparagus. They can really enliven a dish.
REILLY CRAFT PIZZA & DRINK, Tyler Fenton, chef/co-owner
Was your mother a good cook? What memories do you have of cooking with your mother?
My mother came from a family with lots of strong cooks … I remember learning how to make meatballs with my mom.
What is the first dish you ever learned to make?
I learned how to make cioppino, a seafood-based stew, when I was pretty young. My family had a holiday tradition where we did a head-to-head soup-making competition, and I volunteered to compete in it. I think I ended up making that soup every year for the next 10 years.
What ingredients are you excited about working with this spring?
I’m always happy to see asparagus. I love asparagus. It’s an ingredient you can use both cooked and raw, though most people are used to only having it cooked. If you’ve only ever had steamed asparagus, you are missing out!
THE RICE BOWL, Cassandra Rahn, co-owner
Was your mother a good cook? What memories do you have of cooking with your mother?
My mother was an awesome cook! We had family dinner every night, and she cooked everything with fresh produce and lean meats, very healthy. Every Sunday she made brunch with omelets and hash browns, French toast and juice, delicious. She never made the same thing twice!
What is your favorite kitchen tool?
My favorite kitchen tool is my Cuisinart veggie chopper because it can chop vegetables better than my hands can and it does it in a fraction of the time. Plus, it helps tremendously with onions as they always make me cry.
What ingredients are you excited about working with this spring?
Spring is a time for using refreshing ingredients, so I always like to use any fruits and vegetables that are in season. Watermelon, strawberries and cucumber come to mind immediately.
ROCCO’S LITTLE CHICAGO PIZZERIA, Rocco DiGrazia, owner/chef
Was your mother a good cook? What memories do you have of cooking with your mother or grandmother?
My mom is a great cook but I really gravitated toward my grandma’s Italian and Slovenian cooking. Our neighborhood had tons of amazing smells coming out of every house on the way home from school.
What is the first dish you ever learned to make?
At age 10, my grandpa showed me how to make a frittata with potatoes, onions, and lots of Parmesan cheese. I was hooked.
What is your favorite kitchen tool?
All you need is a sharp knife and a cutting board. It’s the cliché that is 100 percent true!
TAVOLINO RISTORANTE ITALIANO, Massimo Tenino, owner/chef
Was your mother a good cook? What memories do you have of cooking with your mother or grandmother?
Both my mother and grandmother were very good cooks. I remember making fresh pasta with my mom for special occasions. She would let me take a small bite of the uncooked pasta such as ravioli or gnocchi and I thought it was such a great treat.
What ingredients are you excited about working with this spring?
Fresh pastas. We are ordering an Italian extruder pasta machine that will allow us to make new shapes where the pasta itself is the “prima donna” and the sauce is a compliment to the al dente pasta.
What did you have for dinner last night?
I made a frittata with fresh artichokes, sautéed onions and potatoes, served with a salad. For dessert I made a crostata, a tart with fresh apples and apricot jam. The tart came out so nice that we took a photo.
