Best of 2009: In 2009 Chefs Were Hungry For…

Arthur Bovino — December 17, 2009

Just a few of the chefs and personalities AlwaysHungry spoke with in 2009.

AlwaysHungry interviewed a lot of chefs at many events throughout the city during 2009 and among the many questions we asked them, there’s one we always tried to get an answer to: When they’re not hard at work in their restaurants, and they want to eat out, what is it they feel compelled to order no matter how many times they’ve eaten it in the past or seen it on a menu?

In this informal survey of what chefs craved, eleven noted something they made themselves, ten said vegetables, seven said food made by friends or family-members, six specified drinks, and four craved something sex-related. We also discovered the following cravings:

Cuisine: Italian (16), Japanese (12), Mexican (8), Chinese (5), Thai (4), Indian (3), Korean (2).
Protein: Pork (16), chicken (15), seafood (13), and beef (11).
Notable Cravings: Pasta (13), rice (11), ice cream (11), pizza (10), snacks/junk food (10), candy/chocolate (9), burgers (6) and toasted bread (4). Toasted bread?
Best Chef Answer: “It’s not just one thing. It could be chocolate, pasta, paella, ladies…”
Worst Chef Answer: “Laughter.”

 

Doug Quint (right, Big Gay Ice Cream Truck)
AlwaysHungry for: Mussels with white wine and garlic. He loves sopping up the broth with toasted bread.

Leah Cohen (formerly, Centro Vinoteca)
AlwaysHungry for: “Japanese, Thai or Vietnamese tempura, Maitake mushrooms or anything with uni.”

Christian Mir (Stone Creek Inn)
AlwaysHungry for: “Octopus, grilled, or any way. I always want to try different preparations.”

 

April Bloomfield (right, The Spotted Pig)
AlwaysHungry for: Twix.

Mark Arnao (85 West)
AlwaysHungry for: Cheesesteaks.

George Mendes (Aldea)
AlwaysHungry for: A good rice dish. Like Aldea’s Duck Rice.

Fernando Navas (SushiSamba)
AlwaysHungry for: Chocolate, particularly Almond Joy

John Stage (right, Dinosaur Bar-B-Que)
AlwaysHungry for: “Pulled pork. Even though I eat it every day.”

Jason Neroni (formerly, 10 Downing)
AlwaysHungry for: Crab, particularly peekytoe, hot.

Kyle Bailey (formerly, Allen & Delancey)
AlwaysHungry for: Pepperoni pizza from Rocket Joe’s on Delancey Street.

 

Eric Yu, Thomas & Diana Yang (right, NYC Cravings)
AlwaysHungry for: Thomas said, “mashed potatoes.”

Alex Garcia (Calle Ocho)
AlwaysHungry for: Beer and Thai food from Wave Thai in Astoria.

Michael Bao Huynh (Bar Bao)
AlwaysHungry for: Sushi, hamburgers, and burritos.

Stephane Dorian (owner, 10 Downing)
AlwaysHungry for: Whole roast chicken at 10 Downing.

Thomas DeGeest (right, Wafels & Dinges)
Best Dessert Vendor 2009
AlwaysHungry for: Belgian blood sausage with apple sauce, “simple Belgian farmers’ food.”

John Fraser (Dovetail)
AlwaysHungry for: “Dirty question. Scott Conant’s Pomodoro.”

Scott Conant (Scarpetta)
AlwaysHungry for: “My wife.”

 

Katie Lee (right)
AlwaysHungry for: Popcorn and ice cream.

Chris Rom (Brooklyn Brewery)
AlwaysHungry for: Seafood. Steamed clams.

Linda Villano (owner, SerendipiTea)
AlwaysHungry for: Cheese and chocolate.

Marc Forgione (Marc Forgione)
AlwaysHungry for: His friend’s mother’s beef jerky.

 

Brian Bistrong (right, Braeburn)
AlwaysHungry for: Korean food, a beer and a burger, and “bacon, I could eat that everyday.”

Patrick Connolly (Bobo)
AlwaysHungry for: Corned beef, specifically Sarge’s.

Gustavo Agudelo (Tisserie)
AlwaysHungry for: Couscous and crème brûlée.

Charlie Palmer (Aureole)
AlwaysHungry for: Bacon.

Giada De Laurentiis (right, site)
AlwaysHungry for: Meatballs.

Erik Osol (Ilili)
AlwaysHungry for: “Yakitori grilled chicken skin.”

Dana Cowin (Food & Wine)
AlwaysHungry for: Sausage and soft serve.

Laura O’Neil (Van Leeuwen Artisan Ice Cream)
AlwaysHungry for: Guacamole or Fluff.

Antonio Prontelli (Rock Center Café)
AlwaysHungry for: Bacon.

Lev Ekster (right, Cupcake Stop)
AlwaysHungry for: Lasagna.

Brooks Headley (Del Posto)
AlwaysHungry for: “Banana and dulce de leche [Banoffee] pie at The Spotted Pig. Something so insanely simple it can’t not be great. And I don’t even like banana.” And Lupa’s Cacio e Pepe.

Jean-Georges Vongerichten (jean-georges.com)
AlwaysHungry for: Spicy food, whether it be kimchee, wasabi or chilis.

Jacqueline Lombard (far right, Gansevoort 69)
AlwaysHungry for: Pancakes (her own) and fake maple syrup (something she said her grandmother, who eats everything diet, always has on hand).

Jaime Sudberg (Stanton Social)
AlwaysHungry for: “An awesome, awesome hamburger.” Dessert? “Cookies. Anything with a chip.”

Fernando Marulanda (Victor’s Cafe)
AlwaysHungry for: Roast Pork.

 

From left, Riad Nasr with Pat LaFrieda. Right, Lee Hanson.

Riad Nasr and Lee Hanson (Minetta Tavern)
AlwaysHungry for: “Mom’s West Indian curry with roti,” said Riad. “Burgers, tacos—simple, easy things you can get after work,” said Lee.

Mario Garcia (Cuba)
AlwaysHungry for: Ribeye steak. A good steak.

Gabe Thompson (Dell’Anima and L’Artusi)
AlwaysHungry for: Pasta.

Marco Canora (right, Hearth)
AlwaysHungry for: “Breaded meat. The Breaded Veal Milanese at Bar Pitti, and I don’t need to be hungry to eat it and that’s a problem.”

Dave Martin (Top Chef Season One)
AlwaysHungry for: Pizza. His favorite places for it are Manducatis Rustica and Motorino.

Sandro Micheli (Adour)
AlwaysHungry for: Apple tarte Tatin & cheese fondue.

 

Natalia Machado (right, Industria Argentina)
AlwaysHungry for: “Octopus or lamb. I try lamb every single way because I want to discover the similarities in other cuisines to how it’s prepared in my culture.”

Amanda Cohen (Dirt Candy)
AlwaysHungry for: French fries.

David Suarez (Rosa Mexicano)
AlwaysHungry for: “Pork. Any kind of pork.”

 

Bobby Flay (right, Bobby’s Burger Palace)
AlwaysHungry for: A cheeseburger with two slices of American, potato chips and chipotle ketchup, and a cheeseburger from JG Melon.

Cake Man Raven (Cake Man Raven Confectionery)
AlwaysHungry for: The sweet tea from Chik-fil-A.

Rose Levy Beranbaum (realbakingwithrose.com)
AlwaysHungry for: Ice cream (passion fruit, vanilla, peanut butter). And “Pasta with pesto. I used to have it every Sunday night.”

Guy Fieri (right, guyfieri.com)
AlwaysHungry for: Chinese food. “Tasty, hand-pulled noodles knock it out.”

Ludovic Augendre (Chef Patissier, Mad Mac)
AlwaysHungry for: Sushi. And “Paris-Brest, when well done and very fresh, it’s excellent.”

Renato Poliafito (Baked)
AlwaysHungry for: “Chicken schnitzel.” Where’s the best? “At home.” Dessert? “Chocolate layer cake.”

 

Elizabeth Katz (far right, Pastry Chef, B.R. Guest)
AlwaysHungry for: “Cucumber. I’m a pastry chef so I crave salad.”

Amanda Freitag (The Harrison)
AlwaysHungry for: French fries at The Waverly Inn and her own pizza. “I make the best pizza in the city.”

Florian Bellanger (Chef, Mad Mac)
AlwaysHungry for: Foie gras, and “macarons [laughs]. Profiteroles, when they’re made à la minute.”

 

Brian Murphy (right, The Mott)
AlwaysHungry for: “I’m a sucker for fried chicken.”

Fabio Viviani (Top Chef Season Five)
AlwaysHungry for: Risotto.

Patty Rothman (more)
AlwaysHungry for: “Anything with cheese. I’m a cheese fan. It’s the inspiration for these savory cupcakes. The only thing better than a cupcake for dessert is a cupcake for lunch.” Dessert? “Right now this one. Chocolate cake. I’m a cake person.”

Anne Burrell (right, Food Network)
AlwaysHungry for: “Bacon, anything with bacon. And pasta. A Bolognese.”

Paul Di Bari (Bar Stuzzichini)
AlwaysHungry for: “Octopus at Casa Mono and quail at Dell’Anima.”

Jonathan Waxman (Barbuto)
AlwaysHungry for: Guac and chips with a margarita.

 

Jeremy Strubel (right, The Libertine)
AlwaysHungry for: Pig’s foot.

Albert Di Meglio (Olana)
AlwaysHungry for: Something with pumpkin.

Larissa Raphael (Telepan)
AlwaysHungry for: “Anything peanut butter,” or “fried calamari.” A coworker noted, “You want to know where the best fried calamari is? At her home! Her husband is the best fry cook in New York.”

 

Daniel Boulud (right, DBGB Kitchen & Bar)
AlwaysHungry for: Avocado (yes, it’s bland but he likes to dip it in more flavorful things)

Maricel Presilla (Cucharamama & Zafra)
AlwaysHungry for: Tamales.

Erin McKenna (BabyCakes NYC)
AlwaysHungry for: “Whole fish.” Dessert? “My favorite I make is cinnamon sugar donuts. My favorite dessert that other people make is Pinkberry.”

 

Alex Guarnaschelli (right, Butter)
AlwaysHungry for: Guacamole.

Stephen Kalt (Fornelletto in the Borgata)
AlwaysHungry for: My own pizza at Fornelletto. I ate at eight places in Naples to perfect Neapolitan pies.

Hugo Reyes (Dos Caminos)
AlwaysHungry for: Nuts.

Franck Deletrain (Cafe Centro)
AlwaysHungry for: Gnocchi and nice prosciutto.

 

Left, David Pasternack. Right, Cesare Casella.

David Pasternack (Esca)
AlwaysHungry for: “Cesare [as Cesare Casella approached]. Look at how good looking he is.”

Cesare Casella (Salumeria Rosi)
AlwaysHungry for: Salami. “It changes depending on my mood. But I like to go out for sushi about three times a week.”

Jim Leiken (DBGB Kitchen & Bar)
AlwaysHungry for: Pork.

Mark Hennessey (right, Le Maraís)
AlwaysHungry for: Chili Fries.

David Cunningham (T-Bar Steak & Lounge)
AlwaysHungry for: Broccoli Rabe with “lots of garlic.”

Julian Medina (Toloache and Yerba Buena)
AlwaysHungry for: “Octopus, I love it grilled. Nice and charred. Octopus with lemon and olive oil.”

Roy Choi (Kogi Korean BBQ-To-Go, Los Angeles)
AlwaysHungry for: White rice.

Deborah Racicot (right, Gotham Bar & Grill)
AlwaysHungry for: “Steak Tartare. Les Halles has the best in the city hands-down.” Dessert? “Tiramisu. When I lived in Boston, in Marblehead, there was a restaurant called the Grapevine, I think.”

Andy D’Amico (Nizza)
AlwaysHungry for: A 5 napkin burger, chopped steak, bouillabaisse, pizza at Nizza.

John Schenk (Strip House)
AlwaysHungry for: Rocky Road ice cream.

Michael Psilakis (right, Gus and Gabriel)
AlwaysHungry for: Pizza. He particularly enjoys Celeste near Kefi.

Jacques Torres (Jacque Torres Chocolate)
AlwaysHungry for: “I am always hungry. It’s not just one thing. It could be chocolate, pasta, paella, ladies…”

Art Smith (chefartsmith.net)
AlwaysHungry for: Singapore street food and pickles.

 

O’Neill Reid (right, Jamaican Dutchy)
AlwaysHungry for: His Escovitch Chicken, rice & beans.

Henry Meer (City Hall)
AlwaysHungry for: Scrambled eggs with rye toast.

Richard Capizzi (Bouchon Bakery)
AlwaysHungry for: “Salade Lardon.” Dessert? “Really good ice cream sundae.”

 

Rocco DeSpirito (right, roccodispirito.com)
AlwaysHungry for: Laughter.

Jason Weiner (Almond)
AlwaysHungry for: Rice.

Ivy Stark (Dos Caminos)
AlwaysHungry for: Chocolate.

Michael Gabriel (The Sea Grill)
AlwaysHungry for: Sushi, particularly from his own restaurant or Nobu.

Josh Capon (right, Lure Fishbar)
AlwaysHungry for: A Chipwich.

Bill Peet (Aretsky’s Patroon)
AlwaysHungry for: Coffee.

Franklin Becker (Abe & Arthur’s)
AlwaysHungry for: Chinese food. Mr. Chow for high-end.

Juan Branez (Rock Center Café)
AlwaysHungry for: Raw fish.

Aaron Sanchez (right, Centrico)
AlwaysHungry for: A quesadilla with queso oaxaca, hot sauce and grilled spring onions.

Suvir Saran (Devi)
AlwaysHungry for: Bhel puri. He has his restaurant prepare him a plate whenever he arrives.

Sebastiaan Zijp (Bar Blanc Bistro)
AlwaysHungry for: Anything intensely house-made, slow food, braised meats.

 

Edward McFarland (right, Ed’s Lobster Bar)
AlwaysHungry for: Pizza from Lee’s in Staten Island.

Emilie Bousquet (BLT Fish Shack)
AlwaysHungry for: Mexican and Amy Eubanks’ grilled cheese.

Sunitha Ramaiah (Bombay Talkie)
AlwaysHungry for: “Carbs!”

Joe Ng (Chinatown Brasserie)
AlwaysHungry for: Shanghai noodles.

Michael White (right, Marea)
AlwaysHungry for: Roasted squab or Italian canned tuna on whole wheat toast with tomatoes and a touch of Hellman’s mayo to make it American.

Julian Medina (Yerba Buena Perry)
AlwaysHungry for: Pork belly, sweetbreads, foie gras.

Larry Forgione (Monkey Bar)
AlwaysHungry for: A good, hot sandwich (which he makes himself).

 

Christopher Lee (right, Aureole)
AlwaysHungry for: “Chicken fingers. I challenge anyone to make a great chicken finger. My wife hates it, but I love them. Atomic Wings makes a good chicken finger. Hey, I’m easy to please.” Dessert? Jelly Beans.

Dominique Ansel (Daniel)
AlwaysHungry for: “Truffle risotto.” Desserts? “I’m not really a big fan of sweets, but if I have to choose I’ll say apple pie. I really like simple and tasty desserts.”

 

Left, Fares “Freddy” Zeidaies. Right, Meru Sikder.

Fares “Freddy” Zeidaies (The King of Falafel)
AlwaysHungry for: “My own chicken and rice.”

Meru Sikder (Biryani Cart, People’s Taste Award)
AlwaysHungry for: His own chicken and rice.

Sameh Wadi (Saffron Minneapolis, MN)
AlwaysHungry for: Grilled meats and rice.

Govind Armstrong (right, Table 8)
AlwaysHungry for: Octopus. For Dessert? Donuts.

Massimo Carbone (Brio NYC)
AlwaysHungry for: Pasta and pizza.

David Schuttenberg (Cabrito)
AlwaysHungry for: Alcohol and buttered toast.

William Oliva (Delmonico’s Restaurant)
AlwaysHungry for: Sushi from Blue Ribbon.

 

Ming Tsai (right, Blue Ginger)
AlwaysHungry for: Braised pork belly.

Chris Jaeckle (Morimoto)
AlwaysHungry for: Singapore-style pan-fried noodles (because they have “heat, shellfish and a lot of MSG”), and anything with bacon.

Richard Leach (Park Avenue Winter)
AlwaysHungry for: “Thai crispy salad.” Dessert? Crème brûlée.

 

Tom Schaudel (right, CoolFish Grille & Wine Bar)
AlwaysHungry for: “Short ribs, I love them. I like them braised, probably because of how my grandmother prepared them.”

Craig Koketsu (Park Avenue Winter)
AlwaysHungry for: Kokuho Rose Rice.

John Miele (Aureole)
AlwaysHungry for: “Lamb. Casa Mono’s lamb.” Dessert? “Something with apples.”

 

Zak Pelaccio (right, Fatty Crab)
AlwaysHungry for: His food addictions change often, but he said he was loving peanut butter with fig fam and, “Any pasta that Dori [his girlfriend] makes for me.”

Charles Phan (The Slanted Door, San Francisco)
AlwaysHungry for: Sushi.

Alfred Portale (Gotham Bar & Grill)
AlwaysHungry for: Peking Duck either at Shun Lee, Chinatown Brasserie, or Tao.

 

Fernando & Jolanda Martinez (right, Country Boys/Martinez Taco Truck)
2009 Vendy Cup Winner
AlwaysHungry for: Anything with seafood.

Ed Brown (Eighty One)
AlwaysHungry for: French Fries— Pop Burger’s are super crispy. He dips them in mayo, mustard & ketchup.

Mourad Lahlow (Aziza San Francisco)
AlwaysHungry for: Ice cream. Strawberry ice cream.

 

Efraim Nahon (right, Barbounia)
AlwaysHungry for: A McDonald’s cheeseburger.

Julian Alonzo (Brasserie 8 1/2)
AlwaysHungry for: His mom’s cooking.

Gary Dusek (Broadway East)
AlwaysHungry for: Bacon and any Italian red wine.

Paul Leibrandt (Corton)
AlwaysHungry for: A good piece of sashimi from Yasuda or barMasa.

Oleg Voss & Jared Greenhouse
(right, Schnitzel & Things)
Rookie Vendor of the Year
AlwaysHungry for: Bulgogi.

Humberto Guallpa (Sweetiepie)
AlwaysHungry for: Chicken.

Johnny Iuzzini (Jean Georges)
AlwaysHungry for: “Gnocchi. I’m Italian and that’s my gauge for a good Italian restaurant.” Dessert? “Something simple and delicious, like Concorde Grape Sorbet.”

Kevin O’Connell (right, Wall Street Burger Shoppe)
AlwaysHungry for: Corn on the cob, butter and salt.

Hector Tice (Black Duck)
AlwaysHungry for: Chicken.

Andrea Reusing (Lantern Restaurant, Chapel Hill, NC)
AlwaysHungry for: Salty food.

Chai Trivedi (Pranna)
AlwaysHungry for: Drunken Noodles. He said his are the best, but besides his he likes SriPraPhai’s.

Spike Mendelsohn (right, Good Stuff Eatery)
AlwaysHungry for: Pizza from New York City’s classic pizzerias. Grimaldi’s, 99¢ Fresh Pizza and Lombardi’s.

Matt Lewis (Baked)
AlwaysHungry for: “Stews. Beef stew. But that’s something I’d just make at home.” Dessert? “I’m all about apples. Apple pie.”

Drew Nieporent (Myriad Restaurant Group)
AlwaysHungry for: Cheese.

Rachael Ray (www.rachaelray.com)
AlwaysHungry for: “Anything my mother makes.”

“Big Lou” Elrose (right, Wildwood Barbecue)
AlwaysHungry for: Wildwood’s BBQ Chicken.

Shaun Hergatt (SHO Shaun Hergatt)
AlwaysHungry for: Braised shortrib.

Kerry Heffernan (South Gate)
AlwaysHungry for: Mad For Chicken’s fried chicken.

Todd Mark Miller (STK)
AlwaysHungry for: Fresh vegetables, right now tomatoes and string beans.

 

Left, Marc Murphy. Right, Frank Proto.

Marc Murphy (Ditch Plains and Landmarc)
AlwaysHungry for: Sardines, Spaghettini ai Porri, and a slice of cheesecake from Pepolino.

Frank Proto (Landmarc)
AlwaysHungry for: “Anything with eggs on in it, I just had ramen at Ippudo that had hard-boiled eggs in it that I really liked.”

Will Goldfarb (right, Picnick Smoked)
AlwaysHungry for: Vanilla ice cream, caviar, and “Anything Robbie Richter is cooking. He’s the real King of BBQ.”

Jennifer Domanski (Fishtail)
AlwaysHungry for: “French fries and creamed spinach.” Dessert? “Chocolate-something. The more chocolate the better. That seems to satisfy me more than anything else. Even if I only have one bite.”

Joachim Splichal (Patina Restaurant Group)
AlwaysHungry for: A great steak.

Andrew Carmellini (right, Locanda Verde)
AlwaysHungry for: “The tacos at Mercadito Cantina.”

Lulzim Rexhepí (Kittichaí)
AlwaysHungry for: Game. He hunts it in the Catskills.

Tadashi Ono (Matsuri)
AlwaysHungry for: Sushi at Matsuri.

Michael Sullivan (Eater.com selected competitor)
AlwaysHungry for: “Pizza at my house. I have three kids and they like getting involved in the process.”

Kenny Lao and Anita Lo (right, Rickshaw Dumplings)
AlwaysHungry for: Kenny Lao said, “Dumplings.”

Robert Hellen (Resto)
AlwaysHungry for: Tacos from Yola’s Café in Williamsburg.

Lawrence Knapp (Quality Meats)
AlwaysHungry for: Tostitos Hint of Lime.

Donald Link (Cochon, New Orleans, LA)
AlwaysHungry for: Gumbo.

Lou DiPalo (right, DiPaloSelects.com)
AlwaysHungry for: “Pork, but specifically porchetta.” He noted Peasant and Porchetta as two of his favorites and called Sandro’s the “masters of porchetta.”

Jansen Chan (Oceana)
AlwaysHungry for: Pork products.

Josh DeChellis (La Fonda del Sol)
AlwaysHungry for: Time with his family and anything on top of pan con tomate.

 

John Barricelli (right, SoNo Baking Company & Café)
AlwaysHungry for: “Fried calamari, I’m always looking for the perfect calamari. Rice flour, cornmeal, however. I like it, my kids like it. The better the restaurant the worse it is. Some places try to do too much with it. My 21 month-old even eats it.”

Michael Cressotti (Corporate Chef, SushiSamba)
AlwaysHungry for: Octopus, served either seared a la plancha or confit.

Hemant Mathur (Devi)
AlwaysHungry for: Chaat.

Tyler Florence (right, site)
AlwaysHungry for: Pork belly.

Nick Mangold (Center, New York Jets)
AlwaysHungry for: My wife’s spaghetti and meatballs.

Matt Dillon
AlwaysHungry for: Peasant, and Patsy’s in Harlem.

Connie Chung
AlwaysHungry for: French fries, Bolognese.

 

John DeLucie (right, The Waverly Inn)
AlwaysHungry for: Pizza and, “tiramisu. The thing about tiramisu is that even when it’s bad, it’s still pretty good.”

Lon Symensma (Buddakan)
AlwaysHungry for: Mussels, Chicken Wings, Mac & Cheese, and Au Gratin Potatoes.

Karen DeMasco (Locanda Verde)
AlwaysHungry for: “Steak Tartare. Where’s the best? Locanda Verde! Blue Ribbon has a good one too.” Dessert? “Apple tarte Tatin. It’s just classic.”

Kenny Callaghan (right, Blue Smoke)
AlwaysHungry for: BBQ. His favorite place for it besides his own? Salt Lick in Driftwood, TX.

Tawny Ong (Desserts by Tawny Ong)
AlwaysHungry for: Southern food.

Dean Anderson (One if By Land, Two if By Sea)
AlwaysHungry for: BBQ Ribs.

King Phojanakong (Kuma Inn)
AlwaysHungry for: Chicken adobo and Land Thai.