Lasagna: Why Yours Slides Apart, and How a Chef Builds One That Doesn’t
Every Sunday for two years, my job included portioning the lasagna for service — forty covers' worth, cut…
Tiramisu: The One-Second Rule That Separates Silk From Sludge
The pastry chef who taught me tiramisu counted the dip out loud. Every ladyfinger, both sides: "uno… due"…
Affogato: Two Ingredients, and Almost Everyone Wrecks One of Them
The easiest dessert on our menu was also the one the head chef policed hardest. Affogato — a…
Panforte: The Medieval Italian Christmas Cake That Laughs at an Australian Summer
Every December on the line, while the pastry section drowned in pavlova orders, we made panforte in secret…
Ravioli From Scratch: A Chef’s Guide to Getting the Seal, the Filling and the Dough Right
The first tray of ravioli I ever made for service blew up in the pot. All forty of…
Spaghetti: The Chef’s Way to Cook It, and the One Recipe That Proves You Can
Ten years on the line and the dish that taught me the most cost less than a schooner.…