The Best of Italian Food Chefs



Posted: Monday, July 20, 2009

by Jen Falcon

Italian cooking isn't as simple as boiling spaghetti noodles and opening a jar of Ragu. In fact, cooking authentic Italian food takes many years to truly master. The Italians know all about clean cooking accompanied by rich, vibrant flavors. Only the finest of herbs and the freshest products will do when creating true Italian food. In America, many restaurants are unfortunately not up to par with their proclaimed Italian cooking. Although these restaurants may resemble a little taste of Italy, only a few have captured that old rustic quality that embodies Italian cooking at its best. Chefs such as Michael White are one of the fortunate to have learned the specialty art of cooking authentic Italian cuisine.

When you are looking for an authentic Italian eating experience, there are a couple items to be aware of. First, are you going to be eating at a chain restaurant? Although there is nothing wrong with dining at a chain restaurant, it typically doesn't provide an authentic experience. There is a different chef for every one of the chains that comes with a different style of cooking. The food is usually pretty predictable and most likely will taste familiar to you. In order to stay on target financially, the menu will usually stay the same and offers general food that is likely to appeal to every taste bud. Food such as Chicken Alfredo, Manicotti, Spaghetti with Meatballs, are usually the options found in big food chains. The food is good…but if you're looking for authentic, you may want to venture away from the restaurant chain.

If you have heard of a good Italian restaurant but are apprehensive to try it out, the best thing to do is a little research. Find out who the chef is. Does he have an online profile? Many chef's, including Michael White, have online profiles where they list their background, experience and other tidbits about themselves. Michael White even lists his favorite secret ingredients when cooking and where he gathers his inspiration. If you find a chef whom is passionate about what they do…you will be in for a treat when you partake of their food. Creating authentic Italian food should not be a chore; it should be a second love. Passion is translated into everything we touch in life and cooking is no exception. While you are digging deeper into your chef, find out where they trained! Have they even been to Italy? A chef doesn't have to be born and raised in Italy to get a good handle on the food. Some chefs like Michael White, were fortunate enough to train in the heart of Italy for several years under some of the best Italian chefs in the business. Being mentored by Italy's finest cooks, Michael White is definitely one of the best Italian chef's in the culinary world. The fact that he excels at what he does isn't simply attributed to his time in Italy…it goes deeper than that. Michael White has discovered the secret to authentic Italian cooking: passion is the main ingredient in each dish you touch.

I love to write! Specifically, I like to write about traveling.
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