Photo eataly.com
The best of the best in Italian cuisine will reunite in NYC at the end of this month. That’s right, Identitá Golose New York is back for its sixth year, bringing together world renowned chefs from Italy and the U.S. from September 30-October 3. The second annual Identitá Golose in Chicago will also reconvene, taking place from October 6-7.
This year, Identitá New York will bring seven of Italy’s most notable chefs paired with seven of America’s most noted culinary personalities for a series of masterclasses taking place at La Scuola Grande at Eataly. Each masterclass will highlight a selected ingredient, which attendees can enjoy while sipping Italian wines for $125 per person. In addition, the chefs will lead discussions talking about some of today’s leading food trends and techniques.
Identitá will also host two four-course meals showcasing Italian dishes and wine pairings, which are available on the Eataly website for $190 per person. The entire schedule of events is also available, per the website.
In honor of this great culinary experience coming to the Big Apple, we were able to talk to Chef Carlo Cracco, a Michelin Star chef and the owner of Ristorante Cracco in Milan. His restaurant has been featured on the list of “World’s 50 Best Restaurants,” and is a judge on Hell’s Kitchen Italy and Masterchef Italy.
He will be teaching a masterclass with egg as his selected ingredient, alongside American chef, Jonathan Benno on October 2, in addition to the four-course meal also on that date.
Chef Carlo Cracco Photo ristorantecracco.it
How did you get your start as a chef and within the restaurant business?
It’s hard to tell exactly when I decided to become a chef. When I was 14 years old and I first entered the kitchen of a restaurant, a restaurant called Da Remo, it felt like being on a different planet because everything was new to me. I wasn’t born into the business and I had never set foot in a real kitchen before. From the very first day, I felt a beautiful emotion that pushed me to continue and explore this profession.
What is your favorite part of Italian cuisine?
Definitely the biodiversity in our land, the regional cuisine, and the stories and traditions behind every ingredient. The opportunity of finding fantastic ingredients, so different from one another, in every corner of our country.
What do you hope to get out of showcasing your talents in New York, one of the largest and most diverse culinary locations in the world?
New York is one of my favorite places. It is both a frenzied metropolis and a place full of secret corners ready to be discovered. New York is a great stage and it thrills you every time you get on it. I’ll always try to bring something new.
Your masterclass features egg as the ingredient. Why did you choose eggs?
Egg is one of my preferred ingredients. Until a few years ago, no one would dare presenting an egg-based dish in a restaurant. I’ve always liked it, it’s so simple yet flexible and capable of great surprises. It is rich in meaning: birth, creation, purity, fertility, and finally perfection.
What are you looking forward to most about the Identità experience?
One of the most exciting things will be meeting once again with all my colleagues, who are scattered around the world, and share ideas with them.
What other chefs in the culinary world do you really admire and/or would like to work with?
I’m extremely fascinated by the East, by Japan in particular. Their approach to food is incredible: a real religion.
How well of a representation do you think Identità Golose provides for contemporary Italian cuisine?
Identità Golose is the stage where you can see what happens in the culinary world on an international scale. It is a great opportunity for us chefs.
-by Jackie Hart
