Chefs
Rocco DiSpirito
James Beard Award-winning chef Rocco DiSpirito is celebrated for his culinary skills, television personality, and authorship of fourteen cookbooks, three of which reached The New York Times #1 bestseller list. Born in New York City, DiSpirito has made significant contributions to the culinary world, both through his innovative cooking style and health advocacy.
His culinary journey began at the Culinary Institute of America and by the age of twenty, Rocco was working globally in Paris and NYC alongside legendary chefs Gray Kunz, Dominique Cécillon and David Bouley. His restaurant, Union Pacific, received three-stars from The New York Times and became a culinary landmark. His more recent celebrated re-imagining of the iconic Standard Grill, High Line, landed him a Michelin Guide listing and a notable two-star New York Times review.
DiSpirito has made his mark on network television, appearing in shows like, “Top Chef”, “Dancing with the Stars,” “Rocco’s Dinner Party,” and “Guy’s Grocery Games.” His time on Guy Fieri’s “Guy’s Grocery Games” and “Tournament of Champions” as both judge and contestant earned him top prize for his partnered charity.
DiSpirito’s commitment to health and nutrition became paramount following a personal health scare in 2006, which significantly impacted his life and work. His cookbooks, Now Eat This! Italian, Pound a Day Diet, and The Negative Calorie Diet, among others, reflect his dedication to living a healthy lifestyle and making nutritious food accessible to everyone. His latest book is Everyday Delicious.
Honored with a James Beard Award for his book Flavor, and Food & Wine Magazine’s America’s Best New Chef, Rocco has been featured in Food & Wine, Bon Appetit and Gourmet and on The Today Show, GMA, Sherri, Oprah and more.
A passionate philanthropist, Rocco has been advocating on behalf of missions for City Harvest, Downtown Alliance, Health Corps, God’s Love We Deliver, Feeding America and more.
Rocco currently lives in New York City with his family and two Shiba Inu.
Arancini
Arancini, which translates to small oranges, is a delicious appetizer, made even better by taking your time when making the risotto. Risotto rice (in this case arborio) can be more difficult to cook than other rice because it has two different starches. Toasting the rice is essential. It hardens the exterior starch a bit to help with more even cooking. The goal isn’t to brown the rice, it is to remove any excess moisture readying it for the slow additions of liquid. Don’t rush the process. Settle in and enjoy the challenge.
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