Barilla chef shares his recipe
Lorenzo Boni found his passion in Italian cuisine at a young age. Growing up in Bologna, Italy, he learned from his father, a passionate, self-taught chef who cooked for Bologna's professional soccer team.
He tagged along as his father bought the freshest eggs, visited artisan cheese makers, hunted for mushrooms on the hills of Tuscany and fished for lake trout. He grew up understanding and appreciating high quality ingredients.
“To him, and to me, too, the quality of the ingredients is everything when it comes to good cooking,” he said.
After traveling from southern to northern Italy to explore the distinct cuisines and studying at the Culinary Institute in Rimini, Boni worked in well-respected restaurants throughout Italy. He then spent two years as second chef at the three-star New York restaurant San Domenico. Boni returned to Bologna to open his own restaurant, but was lured back to the States after eight years.
“I was fortunate to have previous experience in New York City when I was very young. I always felt I had left New York too early and always missed it,” he said. “I wanted to come back to the United States for another experience. I love the people, the culture, and the company I work for.”
That company is Barilla America in Bannockburn where he's executive chef and responsible for product and recipe development.
What inspires you? I have always endorsed healthy living, so my inspiration is definitely cooking food that not only tastes delicious but is also good for your body, and is healthy, colorful and Mediterranean-inspired. I believe food should make people feel great, giving them a sense of satisfaction for the palate, but also make them feel light and healthy at the same time.
What are the joys and challenges working within this environment? Working for a corporation like Barilla, you are always challenged to keep up to speed with your skill set. Specifically for me, I interact with amazingly knowledgeable food scientists, talented marketing experts and so on, instead of restaurant customers or restaurant staff.
I also have to be prepared to organize huge events like the (Italian tenor) Andrea Bocelli concert in Central Park, where we fed actual authentic Italian food to about 50,000 people.
What may home cooks not know about cooking with pasta that you would like to teach them? Lots of people don't know that pasta should be drained a little under cooked, and then finished in the skillet with the sauce and a little of its cooking liquid, for at least 2 minutes. Pasta must have the time to marry the sauce before being served.
What ingredients should be in every home pantry? A box of spaghetti, an excellent Italian EVOO and authentic Parmigiano cheese. In 10 minutes you can always put together a great tasting, simple and affordable dish that the whole family can enjoy.
What do you enjoy doing in your spare time? I love working out, so I swim a lot. I bike to work, which is 20 miles each way, and I go to the gym a lot. I enjoy traveling, taking pictures and dining out in ethnic restaurants. Most of the above is usually done with my beautiful wife, Beata, and daughter Valentina. I give them tons of credit, without their support there could never be me.
Tell us about this recipe: Thin Spaghetti with Ripe Heirloom Tomatoes and Pistachio-Aromatic Herbs Pesto. It's a perfect example of the kind of food I stand for: simple to make, delicious, seasonal and healthy. I am sure people at home will actually find it easy to make with the produce available at their local farmers market or fresh food emporium.
Ÿ To recommend a chef to be profiled, send the chef's name and contact information to food@dailyherald.com.