Naperville man has learned from mistakes in the kitchen but keeps on cooking
By Abby Scalf
Daily Herald Correspondent
Dave Perillo admits with a laugh that his cooking has resulted in some flops.
There was the barbecue chicken that got blackened outside but was raw inside and the pizza dough that first stuck to the grill's grates and then fell into the fire.
But this Naperville cook says it's continuing to try and not being afraid to fail that makes you a better cook.
"You learn that for example on the grill to have direct and indirect heat. You need to have a hot and a cooler side to finish. And I learned never to cook pizza dough on the grill again," he said.
"Be fearless. Don't be afraid to fail. I am not claiming to be a successful chef, but my skills have improved the more I've tried and the more I've learned."
Dave says his history of loving food traces back to his aunts, who started a small 20-table Italian restaurant in 1940 in Colorado. While he did not get any training from his family back then, what he remembers most from the restaurant were the smells.
"The delicious Italian sauces, their meatballs and their Italian dishes are what I remember," he said. "We reconnected in my later years, and I wanted to keep that Italian heritage alive as my interest in cooking grew."
Learning some of those Italian dishes came in handy in college. Living off campus, Dave cooked the meals, keeping to a tight budget to feed 20 guys. Relying on such pasta dishes as spaghetti and meatballs Dave said the guys appreciated it although adding, "I never got a Michelin star rating from the guys." But he first learned how much he loved making the meals as it brought them together. It is the reason he loves to cook today.
"It's the joy of the food and the fellowship in seeing your guests and your friends enjoy a good meal. I get a lot of satisfaction in that," he said. "It's not an ego thing. It's just I get a lot of personal satisfaction knowing I cooked something, and it was pretty good and people liked it."
Family and friends know when Dave prepares Italian food it will turn out OK. Considering it true comfort food, Dave enjoys making those classic pasta dishes he made in college but also enjoys making dishes such as chicken parmesan, chicken cacciatore and lemon chicken. His signature dish, he claims, is a porterhouse steak cooked in olive oil, garlic rosemary with a soft or crispy saffron infused polenta, a typical dish you might be served in Florence, Italy.
At home, Dave said cooking also is about making healthier choices including adding more vegetables to stir fry and preparing fish.
The key to making great meals is using quality ingredients, especially fresh herbs. But he adds the true key to making any dish is developing technique.
"You learn a recipe, you can cook one thing. You learn techniques, and you can cook thousands of things," he said. "I think it was critical to my growth, learning how to take a simple dish and take it a higher level."
• To suggest someone to be profiled here, send the cook's name, address and phone number to food@daily herald.com.