I'm the Executive Chef at Butter Restaurant in NYC

About Me

I am the daughter of esteemed cookbook editor Maria Guarnaschelli, and spent my childhood surrounded by food. I learned to eat according to whatever book my mother was working on at the time: one year was devoted to Indian with Classic Indian Cooking by Julie Sahni; another year was devoted to Italian with The Splendid Table by Lynne Rossetto Kasper.

This early emphasis on my palate truly my future in food. On the day of my graduation from Barnard College in 1991, I decided to explore my culinary interests and began working under the tutelage of the acclaimed American chef and restaurateur Larry Forgione.

Forgione encouraged me to travel and expand my skill set, so I obligingly moved to France to do a work study at La Varenne Culinary School in Burgundy. After school and traveling throughout France, I moved to Paris to begin a four day stage at the Michelin three-star restaurant Guy Savoy. Four days turned into four years where I was rapidly promoted to sous chef at La Butte Chailllot, another Savoy establishment.

The first three months were terrifying—imagine being a young American woman in charge of a French kitchen with 10 young, male cooks under you? Professionally, it was a life-changing experience.

After seven successful years in France, I returned stateside. I maintained my connection with French cuisine, joining the venerable Daniel Boulud at restaurant Daniel, where I quickly become sous chef at the Manhattan standard. Always looking to expand my culinary knowledge, I moved to Los Angeles for two years to join Joachim Splichal’s Patina Group, where I worked at the acclaimed Patina restaurant in West Hollywood. After two years, I returned to my hometown to delve into American cooking. Splichal sent me to open Nick and Stef’s Steakhouse, his first NYC venture.

In 2003, I was given the opportunity to expand my repertoire and become the executive chef at Butter Restaurant, where I my own eclectic American and green market-inspired menu. In addition to my restaurant work, I work as a Chef-Instructor at New York City’s Institute of Culinary Education.

Member Since

May 3, 2007

Sites

• Butter Restaurant

What is the next...

Purchase you’ll make?

When I lived I Paris, I used to walk through the open air food market on my way to work. I would always get hungry smelling the roasting chickens on the spit outside this one particular shop. The next purchase I’ll make is a rotisserie for my kitchen. I want to roast all types of poultry and fish the slow and juicy way…

Trend in design?

The nest trend in design will be a move back to the extravagant. My father always insists there can never be enough furniture from Louis 14th’s palace in Versailles…

Car you’d like to own?

3. I would like to own two cars. I would like to secretly own a Delorean because they are homely in a mesmerizing and glorious way…They are also so representative of a particular era. I would also like a vintage Porsche convertible or a Cadillac from the late 50’s. What would I actually buy? Probably a Volkswagen…

Big step you’d like to make?

I’d like to have a cooking show on television where I am allowed to show the power of human error like Julia Child did. If I drop a chicken on th floor or burn the edge of my finger, I can still let America know that chefs are human too and you just have to keep on truckin!

Fad that will fade?

I think the next fad to fade will be the cutesy hamburger, milkshake joint that is the answer to all problems big and small.

Vacation you’ll take?

I would like my next vacation to be to the Galapagos Islands. I want to look at flowers and animals and take a break from food!

Thing you’re going to fight for?

I would like to fight for the environment. Cooking is a field that generates a lot of waste. That aspect of “cheffing” is painful for me at times. I would like there to be less plastic, less packaging. I also think we chefs should move towards making menu choices that honor sustainability as much as possible.

Secret that’s going to leak?

The next secret that is going to leak is that Kobe beef doesn’t always taste as good as it should.

Hollywood blockbuster going to be about?

The next Hollywood blockbuster is going to be about a chef (of course) who doesn’t have Friday nights off or only a 15-minute stint in the kitchen flambeeing some cherries or a fight in the dining room with his girlfriend in front of diners on a Saturday night….

Life you’ll lead?

I would like to lead a life where I eventually learn how to relax!

Fountain of youth?

Those little jars of thousand dollar cream in department stores. I believe in them!

Book you’ll read?

The next book I’ll read is The End of the Line by Charles Clover.

Thing that will change the world?

The next thing that will change the world is either all of the delicious bread from the bakeries of Manhattan or the fact that half of the world is melting and half of it is drying up!

Guilty-pleasure food in which you’ll indulge?

I try to indulge once a day. I will either have a coconut angel food cake from Dean and Deluca or a coffee cake muffin from Dunkin Donuts….The day is too young for me to pick as of yet.

Person to whom you’ll say, “I love you”?

The next person to whom I’ll say “I love you” will undoubtedly be my husband, I just got married!