N.Y. Italian style

N.Y. Italian style
Magazine: March 2008

Italian quality cuisine in New York has reached high levels. Almost enough to make top Italian restaurants envious. Strolling down the city avenues one realises that the so-called ’Italian Sound’ has given up its place to true Italian style with labels and, above all, food of the highest quality. The Big Apple clients are increasingly discerning and Italian cuisine is more and more a benchmark for those who wish to dine well and fashionably. Nowadays, Made in Italy is a high quality marketing success story that does not fear comparisons. Even if many New York restaurants have become status symbols “to see and be seen”, like ‘Cipriani’, which is, a haunt for actors and fashion designers, there is much more than this! There is a newfound craving for tradition in the restaurants, a desire to “educate” American palates revealing the origins of our cuisine; therefore, the latest food trend in the last two years is a restaurant where innovation and tradition are majestically melded.

Chefs or Divas?
The ambassadors of Italian cuisine in New York are the chefs, who in public opinion have become a true institution. From the cover pages of specialised magazines and popular television transmissions, executive chefs and Italian restaurant proprietors dictate the rules on how to guide quality cuisine in the States. “E ora tutti a tavola a mangiare” announces Lidia Bastianich in Italian on a famous American public programme; she is the symbol of Italian food for millions of Americans. Transferred to the States in 1958 she constructed her empire with true professionalism; Haute Cuisine and a healthy attachment to food-wine Italian traditions. Now she hosts the television show “Lidia’s Italy”, has written numerous cooking ‘Best Sellers’ and runs the ‘Felidia’ Restaurant, judged by the New York Times and Zagat as one of the best five eateries in New York. Another milestone of Italian catering in New York is Sirio Maccioni, Tuscan proprietor who made his name in the city with the elegant ‘Le Cirque’. He serves simple traditional Italian dishes like the Mamma Egi’s Ravioli, stuffed with ricotta and spinach.

Italian culture dines out
Americans are fascinated most of all by our millennium culture. Our cuisine represents an important passage between popular traditions, history and far-flung gastronomic influences. Cesare Casella, with his Italian Culinary Academy, has wisely made a living out of this. He worked in Italy for years gaining valuable experience. Now in New York he runs the ‘Maremma’ restaurant, which is cited as one of the top 5 in the city. We can justify a feeling of proudness when noting that the specialised Italian food shops are always in the top listings. Talking to Agata Torrisi, proprieter of ‘Agata&Valentina’, who, with 12 windows on 1st Avenue and 79th St., is undisputedly ‘the’ Italian Gourmet Food success story in Manhattan. On entering this shop one has the sensation of being in an Italian market with heaps of specialised stalls. Just consider that they offer 350 types of tempting cheeses and 20 qualities of lovingly hand-made pasta. Plus, the very attractive price-quality ratio invites one t o linger and select.