A Chat with Cesare Lanfranconi

[DonRocks]

Chef Cesare Lanfranconi will be joining us this week, so please feel free at this point to begin asking questions. Here is a brief bio of Cesare:

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Growing up in Lecco, Italy, a small town located in the magnificent Lake Como region, Cesare Lanfranconi learned a great appreciation for farming. “Every household raised their own chickens, and grew vegetables on small plots of land. We would make our meals from what we grew ourselves,” said Cesare, who is now the chef/owner of the award winning Ristorante Tosca.

At a young age, Cesare was in the kitchen creating recipes and cooking with the help of his grandmother, whom he considers his culinary inspiration and role model. Through these experiences, he gained his passion for creative Italian cuisine, spurring him on to attend culinary school. While working as a chef in Italy, Cesare grew his own fresh herbs and berries, which he used in his cuisine and made into jams to sell at the market.

When he fulfilled his dream of opening his own restaurant in the United States, along with partner Paolo Sacco, Cesare carried on the culinary tradition of his hometown, by building Ristorante Tosca’s menu around fresh, local ingredients. He enjoys sharing his favorite family recipes, as well as reinventing dishes reminiscent of his native cuisine.

“To guarantee the success of any recipe, you must start with the best ingredients,” said Cesare, who seeks out farmers who have the same passion for their crops as he has for his cooking. When he could not find the sweet San Marzano tomatoes he cooked with in Italy, he worked with local farmers to grow tomatoes to his own specifications. He favors small batch artisanal cheeses made from farm fresh goat milk. And he often hunts for his own mushrooms, such as morels and chanterelles, to use in his recipes. “I feel the most relaxed when I am in contact with nature, and can feel the soil under my feet,” he said.

Out of this love for the land, Cesare works to continue his connection with small farms, and has evolved into a proponent of sustainable agriculture. “It is extremely important for future generations,” said Cesare, who instills these values in his daughters Tosca (whom he named the restaurant after), Tea and Caterina. To show his support for local farmers, Cesare organized a gala benefit for the Fresh Farm Market at Ristorante Tosca in 2002 and 2003, recruiting chef friends such as Michel Richard of Citronelle, Roberto Donna of Galileo and Todd Gray of Equinox, who created a dinner with foods provided by area farms. The event was so successful, Cesare plans on recreating it every year.

Prior to opening Ristorante Tosca, Cesare served as executive chef at Roberto Donna's Galileo in Washington, D.C., where he was a prominent force behind Galileo's award-winning dining room. He earned the title of the restaurant’s executive chef in 1998, after serving as sous chef for three years. Prior to his career at Galileo, Cesare gained experience as consulting chef at The Lodge of Vail in Vail, CO. He was also the head chef at the opening of Cafe Milano and Trattoria al Sole in Washington, D.C.

Before moving to the United States, Cesare worked in some of the finest restaurants and hotels in Italy and England, including The Hotel Slendido in Portofino, Gualtiero Marchesi in Milano (Italy’s first three-star Michelin restaurant) and San Lorenzo restaurant in England. He also served as managing partner in his family-owned hotel in the Lake Como region.

As an active member of the Washington area culinary community, Cesare is involved with Gruppo Ristoratori Italiani, Share our Strength (S.O.S.), D.C. Central Kitchen and Food and Friends. He is frequently invited to cook at the illustrious James Beard House. In 2001, D.C. Central Kitchen, the Washington area’s most efficient food recovery and culinary job-training program recognized Cesare as “Chef of the Year.” In 2002, Ristorante Tosca was voted as Washington’s “Best New Restaurant.” Cesare was a 2003 finalist for “Chef of the Year” at the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington annual awards gala. He sits on the board of advisors for L`Academie de Cuisine, and is a board member for the Jean-Louis Palladin Foundation.

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Cesare, welcome to eGullet, and thank you very much for being a guest here.

The great Italian skier Alberto Tomba had won gold medals in the Giant Slalom in 1988 and 1992. During coverage of the 1994 games in Albertville, CBS aired a highlight film of Tomba - who is nicknamed La Bomba - and a mortified Bob Costas apologized to the viewing public for the cringingly embarrassing background music to the highlight film: a recording of Richie Valens' La Bamba which they apparently felt sounded "close enough."

Do you find it annoying that people might confuse "le vrai article" - your outstanding Tosca restaurant - with the second-rate tapas chain La Tasca that recently elbowed its way into town? Is Tosca named after the Puccini opera?

We're all looking forward to you being on this forum!

[DonRocks]

Tosca's website is here, and the eGullet thread on Tosca is here.

[Nadya]

Hi Cesare, thank you for visiting! I really, really enjoy your food, and your pastas are just outstanding. The last time I had duck ravioli with foie gras it felt like such comfort food. This may sound funny, but next time I have it, I want to be very cold and hungry right before I walk in, I think it would hit the spot!

I would be interested in your take on the differences between Italian food in America, and Italian food in Italy. Do Italian chefs who come here and start restaurants move their food in a different direction than their colleagues back home?

Do you keep track of the restaurant biz in the Old World, and how would you describe the differences in the fine dining scene here and there?

Do you think there is such a thing as "American cuisine", and how would you describe it?

Thank you!

[8Track]

Cesare,

I think it's great that you run kids camps every so often at the restaurant. So many American kids are taught to be afraid of food, which is reinforced by the fact that kids menus everywhere have nothing but burgers, chicken fingers and french fries.

I have a couple of questions for you.

First, how have the kids camps been going? At what age do you think it's appropriate to enroll your child in the camp?

Second, what recommendations do you have for getting children who are afraid of trying new foods to do so?

Third, and finally, do you see a new interest in good food among young people in the US? I sense that times are changing ...

[hillvalley]

I have a follow up to 8track's question.

What would you recommend to parents who cannot send their children to your cooking classes but would like to teach them about proper eating and how to love good food? Where would you start? What would be the first dish you would teach them to prepare?

Thanks for taking the time to chat with us.

[Malawry]

Hi Chef Cesare,

I am a graduate of L'academie. While I was a student there, you did a series of demos which frankly blew me away. My favorite thing that you made was an asparagus risotto--it pulsed with freshness and was brilliant green. Of course I didn't take complete notes and when I tried it at home later I got a decent result but nothing like what you served us. Can you recap how to make this dish, or at least give me a few tips?

Also, I'd like to hear about the tomato-basil tart I've seen on the dessert menu. I really like it, but I wonder how well it sells since most people think of tomato and basil as savory flavors. Did you feel it was a risk to have it there? Have you developed other "savory-flavored" pastries?

[Cesare Lanfranconi]

----------------

The great Italian skier Alberto Tomba had won gold medals in the Giant Slalom in 1988 and 1992.  During coverage of the 1994 games in Albertville, CBS aired a highlight film of Tomba - who is nicknamed La Bomba - and a mortified Bob Costas apologized to the viewing public for the cringingly embarrassing background music to the highlight film:  a recording of Richie Valens' La Bamba which they apparently felt sounded "close enough."

Do you find it annoying that people might confuse "le vrai article" - your outstanding Tosca restaurant - with the second-rate tapas chain La Tasca that recently elbowed its way into town?  Is Tosca named after the Puccini opera?

We're all looking forward to you being on this forum!

←

hi folks, thank you for having me; and thank you Don for you assistance to make this happen.

to start I like to make a parentesys: been an avid skier, as soon I see the word ski, or Alberto Tomba, I cannot say nothing; Don, there is no song or an individual that can diminish the greatness and accomplishment of 'la Bomba', that's all I have to say; now let's keep going and stick to our forum.

I do find it annoying that people confuse us with La Tasca, but it is just a small inconvenience. I wish all problems were of such a small magnitude.

The restaurant Tosca is actually named after my eldest daughter, who is 10. She was named Tosca because it is a very classic Italian name (not necessarily after the opera.)

[Cesare Lanfranconi]

Hi Cesare, thank you for visiting! I really, really enjoy your food, and your pastas are just outstanding. The last time I had duck ravioli with foie gras it felt like such comfort food.  This may sound funny, but next time I have it, I want to be very cold and hungry right before I walk in, I think it would hit the spot!

I would be interested in your take on the differences between Italian food in America, and Italian food in Italy. Do Italian chefs who come here and start restaurants move their food in a different direction than their colleagues back home?

Do you keep track of the restaurant biz in the Old World, and how would you describe the differences in the fine dining scene here and there?

Do you think there is such a thing as "American cuisine", and how would you describe it?

Thank you!

←

Thank you for the compliments,

Wow – this is a great topic for a book! I’ll try to be as short as possible…

Italian food in America and Italian food in Italy; they have differences indeed - Just consider the access to resources. Particularly, access to fresh produce and foods in general, with relative differences in prices & availability based on transportation, etc.,

It makes sense to use the local, indigenous products of a region to maximize flavor. Sometimes it is challenging but it is always exciting using new products to create new contemporary dishes and share new techniques to explore different territories. But, (be careful), in order to uphold the integrity of classic Italian cuisine, I personally think that it is imperative to start with solid bases and knowledge, and I always strive to maintain at least 50% of my menus as traditional as possible. This is part of my philosophy.

Unfortunately, there are a number of improvised chefs and restaurateurs that are not prepared enough to keep up with the same philosophy and move in a totally different direction, that goes far away from what is the tradition of Italian cuisine.

You have to keep up with culinary news globally - to keep up with the speed of progress.

I think that fine dining in the States is more fast-paced and productivity-oriented. In Europe, fine dining is more tied to the traditions; with pros and cons in either situation.

There is an “American cuisine;” it is very vigorous and upcoming, mainly because it has a big advantage of being able to combine different ethnicities and techniques to allow American cuisine to be one of the most exciting in our era. But (be careful,) it needs to be done with knowledge and consideration of the classic tradition of other cuisines.

[Cesare Lanfranconi]

Cesare,

I think it's great that you run kids camps every so often at the restaurant.  So many American kids are taught to be afraid of food, which is reinforced by the fact that kids menus everywhere have nothing but burgers, chicken fingers and french fries. 

I have a couple of questions for you.

First, how have the kids camps been going?  At what age do you think it's appropriate to enroll your child in the camp?

Second, what recommendations do you have for getting children who are afraid of trying new foods to do so?

Third, and finally, do you see a new interest in good food among young people in the US?  I sense that times are changing ...

←

I can’t agree more – I hate to kids menus with a bunch of fried foods on them.

The kids camps have been going great, thank you. It’s never too early or too late to enroll children in the camp (ages 4-12 y.o.)

You have to approach the issue as gently and as casually as possible. What I do with my daughters – I challenge them and cook the particular ingredients with the best recipes I know or go to a good restaurant and try different things on the same theme. If you can not persuade them, don’t make it a big deal and go back to the subject after a period of time, say – six months.

Young people are hungry for both knowledge and food; they are very much interested in cooking and food, as I experienced with in my kids camp as well as with my own daughters. I’m trying very hard to change the way we feed our kids, with food and information – I invite all of the foodies in this forum and beyond to try to change things with me to give a better education to our kids at the academic level so we won’t have any more kids menus with unhealthy foods and habits, and so on…(next vacation, make it a culinary trip!)

[Cesare Lanfranconi]

I have a follow up to 8track's question.

What would you recommend to parents who cannot send their children to your cooking classes but would like to teach them about proper eating and how to love good food?  Where would you start?  What would be the first dish you would teach them to prepare?

Thanks for taking the time to chat with us.

←

Start with easy and fun things, like making pizza, fruit salads, simple pasta sauces and keep it casual, but do it often – every day.

[Cesare Lanfranconi]

Hi Chef Cesare,

I am a graduate of L'academie. While I was a student there, you did a series of demos which frankly blew me away. My favorite thing that you made was an asparagus risotto--it pulsed with freshness and was brilliant green. Of course I didn't take complete notes and when I tried it at home later I got a decent result but nothing like what you served us. Can you recap how to make this dish, or at least give me a few tips?

Also, I'd like to hear about the tomato-basil tart I've seen on the dessert menu. I really like it, but I wonder how well it sells since most people think of tomato and basil as savory flavors. Did you feel it was a risk to have it there? Have you developed other "savory-flavored" pastries?

←

Hi there, one of the most important things is to use fresh asparagus, in season. Cook them for a very brief amount of time and overall, use the best ingredients possible: Carnaroli is the best rice for risotto, nice and tasty chicken stock, local asparagus, good imported Parmesan cheese, good vino and lots of love. You’ll have a nice risotto then…

Tomato is a fruit; in this case it is all about perceptions. But using tomatoes in a sweet preparation works as well as a savory one. Other savories that are used in sweet preparations are: Parmigiano cheese for gelato, white truffles for gelato or sweet custards…

[laniloa]

Chef Cesare,

Thank you for doing this chat. I appreciate your approach to local and seasonal igredients with frequent menu changes. How long does it take a new menu to really shine once it is unveiled? I ask because I ate at Tosca last night and things seemed just a tad off (and I do mean small tweaks)-- dishes a little under or over seasoned, meat just a little dry. The dishes that really impressed us were the ones that had not changed with the menu -- radicchio salad with pear and walnuts, Mediterranean sea bass. Overall it was a wonderful experience and we'll be back (many times), but it did make me curious about the tradeoffs that are involved with cooking as seasonally as you do.

[JPW]

Chef Cesare,

Never been to Tosca, but hope to before too long.

As a follow-up to Nadya's question ...

Where I grew up (Pittsburgh) you could find a decent "red sauce" middle-to-low price Italian restaurant on every corner. However, Pittsburgh also has a much larger Italian-American community than DC

I have yet to find an acceptable one in or around DC.

What are your local favorite Italian "comfort" food places? (if any)

Joe

PS- As the proud parent of a practically newly present Peanut, I find your kids' camps to be prodigously praiseworthy for their potential to positively prod our progeny towards the proper use of produce and other pantry products.

(Translation - keep up the good work, my new born daughter and I will see you in about 4 years)

[morela]

Hey Cesare:

I haven't been in to see you in a while, but I just want to thank you for the handful of special meals I've had at Tosca.

I'm coming in soon, I promise, right after my appointment at Celadon Spa, next door.

I treat myself this well only on occasion.

Oh, and I really like that black and white portrait of Tosca and your other little darlings at the chef's kitchen table. What stunning work!

What can I say, though, I've always been my daddy's little girl too.

Thanks for chatting.

Cheers, morela

[Cesare Lanfranconi]

Chef Cesare,

Thank you for doing this chat.  I appreciate your approach to local and seasonal igredients with frequent menu changes.  How long does it take a new menu to really shine once it is unveiled?  I ask because I ate at Tosca last night and things seemed just a tad off (and I do mean small tweaks)-- dishes a little under or over seasoned, meat just a little dry.  The dishes that really impressed us were the ones that had not changed with the menu -- radicchio salad with pear and walnuts, Mediterranean sea bass.  Overall it was a wonderful experience and we'll be back (many times), but it did make me curious about the tradeoffs that are involved with cooking as seasonally as you do.

←

Thank you for compliments and complaint (they are very important too, as long as they are intended as constructive criticism).

I'm not trying to come up with any excuses; I take full responsibility, both for the menu and flows.

I like to make a consideration: I think is a costumer duty to inform immediately the manager or the chef, if a dish or else inside the restaurant is not up to standards, or there is a legitimate problem; so they have the chance to solve the problem or make a new dish, bottle of wine...

Nobody in this world is perfect, but I guarantee you that my staff and I work very hard, every day, to get as close as possible to make it memorable for you and for our own pride.

A new menu it should be shining from the first moment is presented.

I will be happy to personally cook and go trough the new menu with you next time you'll be at Tosca (202-3671990).

Best regards

Cesare

[DonRocks]

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Cesare,

This ( ) spoke a thousand words.

It spoke a thousand words about you and the pride you take in what you do. Your response was elegant and accomodating, and from everything I've heard about you, that doesn't come as any surprise, because people in your industry think very highly of you, both as a chef and as a person.

[bilrus]

Much of the cooking education in the US is of the classical French variety in terms of techniques, mother sauces, etc. I assume that this is not the case in Italy, but how do Italian chefs both in Italy and here in the US develop?

Is the style all that much different?

Are there schools that teach a more Italian style of cooking or is it more learned through doing?

[laniloa]

Thank you for compliments and complaint (they are very important too, as long as they are intended as constructive criticism).

I'm not trying to come up with any excuses; I take full responsibility, both for the menu and flows.

I like to make a consideration: I think is a costumer duty to inform immediately the manager or the chef, if a dish or else inside the restaurant is not up to standards, or there is a legitimate problem; so they have the chance to solve the problem or make a new dish, bottle of wine...

Nobody in this world is perfect, but I guarantee you that my staff and I work very hard, every day, to get as close as possible to make it memorable for you and for our own pride.

A new menu it should be shining from the first moment is presented.

I will be happy to personally cook and go trough the new menu with you next time you'll be at Tosca (202-3671990).

Best regards

Cesare

←

Chef Cesare,

I assure you this was meant as constructive. Your reply showcases why I keep coming back to Tosca -- the pride you put into your cooking and your dedication to customer service. Your point about speaking up at the time is well taken. It was a slight difference between the new and the classic star dishes on the second or third night of the new menu. It made me wonder. That's it. It was a wonderful evening where I was able to catch up with good friends over a nice meal, attentive service, and a sommelier who graciously helped this budget-minded threesome select an interesting wine without feeling self-conscious. Your commitment to seasonal, organic ingredients is commendable because of the connection to time and place it provides to the diner, at least this diner. I expect you'll see me enjoying a bowl of your pumpkin soup with rabbit sausage at the bar quite often this fall.

[albiston]

Caro Cesare,

First of all thanks for taking the time to take part to this discussion on eGullet. I've always wondered how cooking at in Italy and abroad compare for someone like you, that is someone with a clear knowledge of what Italian traditions are.

in a previous reply you hinted to this:

In Europe, fine dining is more tied to the traditions; with pros and cons in either situation.

In your view, what are these pros and cons when talking about Italian cooking? Does the expectations of the general public in Italy sometimes feel a bit tight, so to say, for a chef with new ideas?

Grazie!

[rhodegirl]

Dear Chef,

Thank you so much for doing this!

This past May, we took my parents and a couple of family friends to Tosca for dinner at the chef’s table. It happened to be a night when you were not there. But I wanted you to know that your entire staff did a wonderful job! Everyone – the chefs, the maitre d, the waitstaff - were gracious, professional and enthusiastic. The food was superb, truly one of our best meals ever.

Could you talk about how you and your staff decide on which courses to serve for the chef’s table?

Also, could you tell us a little more about the Farmland Feast at Tosca to benefit the Fresh Farm Market? I appreciate that you are such a supporter of local farmers!

[DonRocks]

Cesare,

At one time you were Executive Chef at Galileo, and before that you were Sous Chef working there with Todd Gray.

How have your relationships with Roberto Donna and Todd Gray influenced you, both in terms of cooking style and in opening and running your own restaurant?

When you opened Tosca, Galileo was already an institution, and Equinox had taken shape and developed its own character. It must have been "comforting" in a way to have had both of those restaurants to draw on, but what did you want to do differently when you went out on your own?

[Steve Klc]

I'd like to follow up on something laniloa mentioned--and wonder if you'd share your thoughts on budget-conscious dining. Because cooking with the seasons and foraging out the best local and imported ingredients is usually much more expensive than the casual diner realizes, especially within the context of fine dining, white tablecloths and a very stylish interior space. Yet sometimes a little of a very expensive ingredient can go a long way. I wonder if you'd be willing to share any strategies you've developed that help you stay accessible to these budget diners, that help you stay within their reach and yet remain profitable?

So, here's your chance to offer your advice for the budget conscious diner, who appreciates very good food, but who wants Tosca to be more than just a once a year/special occasion restaurant, and tell them how can they come away with a lower check average yet still dine well in your hands. Can they still experience Cesare and the glories of what you do at Tosca yet not spend $30 for an entree? I think you do a very special pre-theater, perhaps you could talk about how you offer such quality at that price, and how else you reach out to this diner? Is it possible to walk in and dine affordably at your bar?

And a few "budget" related followups:

1) did your restaurant suffer at all post 9/11 when it seemed diners more openly embraced "American" comfort food and when there were fewer expense account diners travelling to DC? Did you as a restaurateur make any changes to adapt and are any of those changes still in effect?

2) I've also noticed you particpate in the various Restaurant Weeks which have been held, and for more than a few people that is likely their first time dining at Tosca. Have you found it a successful recruiting tool over time, meaning you've tracked and developed loyal customers, or is it more a short term way to fill seats and get new diners into Tosca who haven't yet been?

3) Do you feel under any pressure to offer smaller dishes, to do something like the under $10 Palena front room option? Or would something like that inherently go against the tenets and tradition of dining which you've built your restaurant around?

4) How valuable has your membership in CIRA proven to your bottom line? Has that helped you stay competitive, stay in business?

Thanks for joining us.

[kellytree]

Quick question- what is your favorite simple quick and easy pasta? The one that makes you feel comfortable and at home -

[Cesare Lanfranconi]

Much of the cooking education in the US is of the classical French variety in terms of techniques, mother sauces, etc.  I assume that this is not the case in Italy, but how do Italian chefs both in Italy and here in the US develop? 

Is the style all that much different? 

Are there schools that teach a more Italian style of cooking or is it more learned through doing?

←

let me tell ya!

Culinary schools in Italy have a curriculum that includes some classic French cuisine.

that all happened at the beginning of the twentieth century with Mr. Auguste Escoffier, a very talented chef, curious researcher and gentleman who decided to write a book that includes all the culinary advancement at the time plus a whole lot more including his own experiments and experience; to that time, haute cuisine was still only for the very few rich and nobles.

Mr. Escoffier toke credit to himself and to French cuisine even if a good number of the dishes and main preparations were Italian's; the all point is that that book (regarded by many as the bible of classic French cuisine) was instrumental for culinary advancement and help a great deal to take all of us to the level that we are now; unfortunately Italian cuisine at that time did got denuded to benefit French cuisine, and to help progress.

Schools in Italy they teach predominantly traditional Italian cuisine; the rest of the information’s and experience you'll pick up by doing it, and since Italians are always among the most active in research and advancement in any field, there is a lot more to learn (after your formal education).

Ciao

Cesare

[Cesare Lanfranconi]

Chef Cesare,

Never been to Tosca, but hope to before too long.

As a follow-up to Nadya's question  ...

Where I grew up (Pittsburgh) you could find a decent "red sauce" middle-to-low price Italian restaurant on every corner. However, Pittsburgh also has a much larger Italian-American community than DC

I have yet to find an acceptable one in or around DC.

What are your local favorite Italian "comfort" food places? (if any)

Joe

PS- As the proud parent of a practically newly present Peanut, I find your kids' camps to be prodigously praiseworthy for their potential to positively prod our progeny towards the proper use of produce and other pantry products.

(Translation - keep up the good work, my new born daughter and I will see you in about 4 years)

←

congratulation Joe proud daddy (to the mother too),

red sauces confort food: filomena, pasta mia, sette go out and find some more...

looking forward to see you and your little one, I hope to see you before four years.

Ciao

Cesare