Chef educator credits her teachers
The adage “those who can, do; those who can't, teach,” goes up in smoke when talking about Dina Altieri.
The 40-year-old started cooking when she was 17 and upon graduating salutatorian from the Culinary Institute of America worked in restaurants from coast to coast, including a stint an as executive chef for a Los Angeles catering company before crossing into culinary academia.
Since joining the faculty at Kendall College in Chicago in 2008 she has coached the school's Culinary Knowledge Bowl team to regional and national victories and earlier this year she was named regional Chef Educator of the Year by the American Culinary Federation.
She commutes to the river side campus from Mount Prospect where she lives with her partner, Sara, their dog, Amy, and cat, London.
How have early food experiences shaped the chef you are today? In my family the dining room is the focal point of the home, following a “food is love” mantra among my immediate and extended family. It has contributed to the philosophy I have today because I believe that enjoying food that is prepared well is one of the most gratifying feelings one can experience.
You've got a long resume; what did you take away from mentors along the way? Everyone I have made contact with in my career including chefs, co-workers and students have shaped me as an educator in one way or another. The mentors who resonate would be chef Marcel Desaulniers from the Trellis restaurant in Williamsburg, Va., who taught me, among many things, to strive for perfection every day on the job. I have fond memories of my chef instructors from The Culinary Institute of America and think of them often as I search for ways to transfer culinary concepts to my own students. Chef Arnaldo Bagna, my first chef instructor at CIA, instilled in me an almost compulsive desire to remain organized and efficient at all times during the preparation of mise en place (“pre-service” food preparation) and I feel this is one of the keys to becoming a great chef.
At what point did you realize the education-side of the industry was calling? A friend of mine in 1997 was hiring chef instructors for a brand new culinary school that was opening in South Pasadena, Calif. I was an executive chef for a catering company in Los Angeles at the time. I worked part-time as an educator to test the waters and went full-time three months later, launching my career as a chef educator.
In all the special events you've worked on, can you recall a particularly memorable meal you prepared? Certainly working the Governor's Ball events with Wolfgang Puck for the Academy Awards are among the most memorable mostly because I would bring dozens of student-volunteers to assist during these events. Giving students exposure to events of this magnitude is very gratifying. It is not every day you get to assist with a three-course menu for 3,000 guests and bring a hundred students to share the experience!
What was the last meal you cooked at home? I prepare a meal with my spouse every night at home even if it is super-basic. An example would be “gravy and meatballs” we had on a recent weeknight. I prepared the meatballs before leaving the house for work and the sauce was frozen in batches and removed from the refrigerator the day before, so it made an easy meal to execute on a work night.
What is your favorite spring/summer ingredient and how do you like to use it? In summer, nothing beats vine-ripened tomatoes. I love to eat them as they are, sliced open with a little sprinkle of salt, or paired with torn basil, Buffalo mozzarella and balsamic vinaigrette.
Any thoughts on the tidal wave of culinary competition shows on TV. Is professional cooking turning into a sport? Food television certainly inspires a lot of young people to look into culinary arts as a profession and has educated customers who are now becoming more and more food savvy. The endurance and discipline of cooking professionally is very similar to the requirements of playing a sport, but “food television” hardly demonstrates the stamina and commitment required to be successful in a food service career.
What's your go-to resource for recipes or inspiration? I have an extensive library of books that I reference often, but for new recipes and tidbits of food history, the monthly magazine Saveur is one of my favorites. Books written by, or about chefs are inspiring to me. The last one that made an impression was Coleman Andrews' book, “Ferran”, about Chef Ferran Adrià and El Bulli restaurant. I am currently reading “Blood, Bones and Butter” by Gabrielle Hamilton.
When you eat out, where do you like to go? I love to eat Indian food on Devon Avenue in Chicago. There is such an explosion of spices used in this cuisine and I am drawn to the complexity of flavors.
What do you do in your spare time. I love to work in my garden in the morning. I can putter outside for hours! I enjoy backyard birding as well. In winter, I do a lot of reading. Also in my spare time, I am building Knowledge Bowl study materials for the Kendall College Knowledge Bowl team that I coach.
Tell us about your Grilled Pork Tenderloin. Any tips for preparing it? Finally, with the warmer weather approaching, I am sharing a recipe for outdoor grill enthusiasts. Are you tired of dry pork? Well brine it! Brining a protein assists in moisture retention and flavor impact and is a must for summertime grilled meats such as pork tenderloin or chicken breast that are likely to dry out during the cooking process. A good tip is to play with additional spices and aromatic ingredients to change the flavor profile of your grilled meat. For example you can substitute fresh thyme for rosemary or add chilies to the brine.
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