Inside The Chef's Kitchen; American Culinary Federation Holds Conference In CNY
By: Rachel Polansky
Updated: March 19, 2013
Attention foodies, it's been a chef's paradise in Verona these past few
days. The American Culinary Federation has been holding its Northeast
Regional Conference for chefs, students, and foodservice professionals
at Turning Stone.
"We may not have the best weather, but we do have good eats!" It's a common phrase in Central New York. 2 CNY chefs and restaurant owners weigh in and they say they wouldn't want their businesses anywhere else.
"It is very diversified because of the culture there. Years and years and years ago a lot of Italian population moved in to Utica area, a large Polish community. And then Bosnian, sian and the food they bring in is all their cultures," says Kevin Gentile, owner of Gentile's Restaurant.
Gentile is the owner of Gentile's Restaurant in Syracuse and he's also a born-and-raised Utican.
"Not only is there the chicken riggies and the greens phenomena, but the tomato pie, sausage and oil, this is something that goes back 25-30 years," says Gentile.
"In Central New York, we take food seriously," says Christopher Cesta, owner of The Inn Between Restaurant.
Cesta, another area chef, joins forces with Gentile to show off the culinary character of our region. They demonstrate some of the classics, and they say there's a history behind every taste.
"Whatever they had in their pantry, they used it to create a dish. Utica greens for example has toasted breadcrumbs, pickled cherry peppers, braised escarole or romaine or whatever greens you had in the house to create a meal and that's how that particular dish got started," says Cesta.
Cesta and Gentile are just 2 of more than 400 chefs teaching and learning from each other about today's latest cooking trends. And while every chef's cooking style may differ, they all agree on one thing...
"They always say to a woman's heart is through diamonds or chocolates. Well that's because you ingest it or see it. So I want to captivate those two senses and make something that tastes magnificent, and that is what is amazing to me," says Gentile.
"Back then, they ate to live. Today, people and Americans in general, we live to eat," says Cesta.
For more information on the 2013 ACF Northeast Regional Conference, visit:
http://www.acfchefs.org/ACF/Events/Regional/Northeast/ACF/Events/Regional/Northeast/
"We may not have the best weather, but we do have good eats!" It's a common phrase in Central New York. 2 CNY chefs and restaurant owners weigh in and they say they wouldn't want their businesses anywhere else.
"It is very diversified because of the culture there. Years and years and years ago a lot of Italian population moved in to Utica area, a large Polish community. And then Bosnian, sian and the food they bring in is all their cultures," says Kevin Gentile, owner of Gentile's Restaurant.
Gentile is the owner of Gentile's Restaurant in Syracuse and he's also a born-and-raised Utican.
"Not only is there the chicken riggies and the greens phenomena, but the tomato pie, sausage and oil, this is something that goes back 25-30 years," says Gentile.
"In Central New York, we take food seriously," says Christopher Cesta, owner of The Inn Between Restaurant.
Cesta, another area chef, joins forces with Gentile to show off the culinary character of our region. They demonstrate some of the classics, and they say there's a history behind every taste.
"Whatever they had in their pantry, they used it to create a dish. Utica greens for example has toasted breadcrumbs, pickled cherry peppers, braised escarole or romaine or whatever greens you had in the house to create a meal and that's how that particular dish got started," says Cesta.
Cesta and Gentile are just 2 of more than 400 chefs teaching and learning from each other about today's latest cooking trends. And while every chef's cooking style may differ, they all agree on one thing...
"They always say to a woman's heart is through diamonds or chocolates. Well that's because you ingest it or see it. So I want to captivate those two senses and make something that tastes magnificent, and that is what is amazing to me," says Gentile.
"Back then, they ate to live. Today, people and Americans in general, we live to eat," says Cesta.
For more information on the 2013 ACF Northeast Regional Conference, visit:
http://www.acfchefs.org/ACF/Events/Regional/Northeast/ACF/Events/Regional/Northeast/
