L'Italo-Americano

L'Italo-Americano THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2016 www.italoamericano.org 4 LOS ANGELES ITALIAN COMMUNITY Continued from page 1 ast, Mario is a real entertainer, who loves to make people hold their bellies for too much laugh- ter and not simply too much deli- cious food. Born and raised in Seattle, Was hington, by A rmandino Batali, who worked for over two decades in the aircraft industry (Boeing), and currently owns Salumi - "salumeria" and restau- rant in downtown Seattle – with his wife Marylin, former nurse practitioner, Mario divided his education between Madrid, New J ers ey, Londo n, and Borgo Capanne, village in Northern Italy. Early influenced by the "Stromboli" culinary tradition - that focuses on a calzone-like turnover filled w ith various cheeses (typically mozzarella) and various Italian cold cuts (the likes of salami, capicola and bre- saola) or vegetables – Batali went on to revolutionize Italian cuisine with his own distinct sig- nature. After having gained momen- tum on the N ew Y ork food scene, through Italian restaurants Rocco's and Po, in 1998, Mario partnered with fellow Italian- American chef Joe Bastianich and together they opened Babbo Ris tor ante e Enoteca , firs t Italian restaurant to obtain the coveted three stars recognition from the New York Times in 40 years. Simultaneously, Batali's fame rose to incredible heights, as he became a popular TV chef for the Food Networ k's s how , "Molto Mario" (aired from 1996 to 2004). Mario's stardom hasn't fal- tered since. In 2005, the presti- gious James Beard Foundation named Batali "Outstanding Chef of the Year" and, again in 2008, the same culinary institution named him "Best Restaurateur of the Year." Since 2011, Batali has been s tarrin g in ABC's D aytime Emmy-winner food show, "The Chew." Today, he and Joe co-own a culinary empire of twenty-six restaurants: eleven restaurants in New York, four restaurants in Las Vegas, three restaurants in Los Angeles (one in Newport Beach), one in Boston, two in Connecticut, two restaurants in Singapore, two restaurants in Hong Kong. Parallel to the restaurants, in 2010, Mario and partners Joe, Lidia Bas tianich, and O s car Farinetti opened Eataly NYC, a majestic marketplace and eatery in Manhattan's Flatiron District. Today, other two Eataly's loca- tions are operative in N Y C Downtown and Chicago, as a fourth is about to open in Boston, a fifth will be inaugurat- ed in Culver City, next May, and a sixth is scheduled to open in Las Vegas, in 2018. Recently, Batali had the honor to prepare the final President Obama's state dinner at the White House, with Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi and w ife, M rs . A gnes e Landini attending. When he's not in a TV recording studio, at one of his restaurants' stove, or penning one of his award-winning cook- books , the chef turns into a "Good Samaritan" and, through his Mario Batali Foundation, helps underprivileged children receive education, be well fed and be well cared for. How was growing up in an Italian-American household? Is there a specific childhood's episode that influenced you deeply, informing somehow you r fu tu re career? I f n ot, w h at s tirred you r p as s ion about cooking? Calves Brain Ravioli. It might not have been w hat my American neighbors were eating, but this dish was front and center on my family dinner table on S undays . M y grandmother Leonetta Batali used to make legendary ravioli with oxtail ragu. S w eet Italian s aus age, Continued to page 5 Recently Batali had the honor to prepare the final President Obama's state dinner at the White House, with Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi and wife attending. Photo Courtesy of Ken Goodman

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