Chef Andrew Carmellini ready with newest Italian cookbook

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BY PHILIP POTEMPA ppotempa@nwitimes.com 219.852.4327 | Wednesday, November 19, 2008 | (No comments posted.)

I attended a beautiful luncheon party Monday at the Four Seasons Hotel in Chicago celebrating the launch of celebrity chef Andrew Carmellini's newest (and first) cookbook "Urban Italian" (2008 Bloomsbury Press $35).

Considering this is the same down-to-earth guy who has logged four appearances on Martha Stewart's television show, including another scheduled appearance set for January, I was amazed it took this long for him to finally put pen to paper to share some of his great recipes.

The book, which he wrote in cooperation with his wife Gwen Hyman, features 100 recipes and food photography that is original, featuring images of the dishes just as he prepared them. He used no food stylists or a studio atmosphere. It's just him in the kitchen.

(I was seated next to him at the head table during the luncheon and couldn't resist teasing him about whether it was his hands also featured in the "step-by-step" photos. Yep, sure enough, no need for "hand models.")

Carmellini is most famous on the New York restaurant scene for his popular A-list eatery called A Voce ("a voice" in Italian), which he has left to launch a new "yet to be named" dining experience in the Big Apple.

He's also a familiar face on cable's Food Network, most notably his 2007 appearance joining the ranks of Naked Chef Jamie Oliver, kitchen maven Cat Cora and grill guy Bobby Flay on the series "Iron Chef America," which pitted him against Chef Mario Batali using Italian cooking challenges (Chef Mario beat him by just a thin noodle to win.)

Monday's luncheon included a delicious salad featuring fresh greens, tart Granny Smith apple slivers, Marcona almonds and fennel, butter-knife tender braised short ribs (braciole) served with his "best gnocchi" and fantastic vanilla-custard parfait (aka Caramelini's "Perfect Panna Cotta Hazelnut") with fresh raspberries and his family's recipe for shortbread white chocolate cookies.

The Four Seasons Hotel Chicago's Chef Kevin Hickey did a terrific job preparing all the featured recipes for the special book-launch party menu.

Carmellini, who was born and reared in Cleveland, told me it was tough to narrow down the more than 200 recipes originally selected for the book to gather the 100 dishes showcased.

"I wanted recipes that mostly feature ingredients people like my own mother would have available," he said.

"Although, there were a few recipes the publisher insisted I had to include from my restaurant, since that ranked as signature specialties."

And as for his time whipping up recipe creations with domestic diva Stewart, Carmellini says her show's kitchen studio in New York "ranks beyond compare."

"She's also mellowed quite a bit over the years," he said.

The opinions expressed are solely those of the writer. He can be reached at ppotempa@nwitimes.com or 219.852.4327.

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