Don Coqui
115 Cedar St, New Rochelle (914-637-3737)
Dish I Do the Best… Roasted pork, though my mother would say anything I make is the best!
Drink of Choice I have been drinking coffee since I was four. I can’t survive without it. Also, San Pellegrino. They get you addicted to that at the CIA as a large bottle is always on the table.
Favorite Guilty Pleasure Food Chocolate, of course.
Culinary Hero They say some of the best cooks are men, but in my family, my grandmothers, both maternal and paternal, were wonderful cooks. Everything was always made with such love.
If Not a Chef, I’d Be a… Farmer. I grew up on a farm in Indiana, and it became clear to me at an early age that food and the land are so linked together. The perfect life for me would involve growing my own food and then cooking it.
Favorite Kitchen Utensil Hi-temp spatula. It’s the best way to lower food cost by not wasting anything, and you can use it as a spoon in a pinch.
Last Book Read The books I mostly enjoy are cookbooks. You’ll find plenty of Post-Its in my collection of cookbooks.
On a Day Off, I’d Likely Be… Curling up on the couch with my cat and watching some of my favorite cooking shows.
I Never Eat… Liver and onions.
Favorite Place to Dine Out I love Daniel in Manhattan, Daniel Boulud’s restaurant. The complexity and design of each plate course is insane.
I Hate It When a Diner at My Restaurant…Seasons the food without tasting it! We aim for perfection and adding an extra pinch of salt or pepper could alter the entire taste of the dish.
Favorite Food Show Good Eats with Alton Brown on The Food Network. He’s like a food scientist. I find great value in knowing why things happen and how they work the way they do. To be a true chef, you have to be able to fix things that could go wrong. I also love Spain…On the Road Again, which airs on PBS. I adore Mark Bittman and his philosophical take on food.
