What is your favorite meal to prepare for family and friends, and why?
Chefs work long, grueling hours in the kitchen, sacrificing weekends and holidays to fulfill their passion for creating culinary masterpieces for the masses. And while one might think the last thing they’d want to do is more cooking on their coveted days off, these palate pleasers are happy to whip up their favorite feasts for family and friends. DiningOut caught up with a handful of area chefs to find out what’s cooking during their downtime.
BILL WILKINS, OWNER/CHEF OF THE SICILIAN SUN
{604 N. Maple Avenue, Ho-Ho-Kus; 201.444.3494; SICILIANSUN.US}
“My all-time favorite meal to make with love for my family and friends has to be traditional Italian Sunday gravy made with chicken, sausage, my famous delicious meatballs and blade pork chops in my slow-cooked gravy. I truly love to cook with love for the ones I love. This has been my favorite dish to make for so many reasons, from its being simply satisfying and classically delicious to always making my favorite people happy and able to take home leftovers!”
Photo credit: Chef Bill Wilkins, courtesy of Mia Rodriguez
JERRY ZAPANTIS, OWNER/CHEF OF GRK GRILL
{39 Union Avenue, Cresskill; 201.399.7670; GRKGRILLNJ.COM}
“I like whole fish. Usually, my favorite fish to prepare for friends and family is the red snapper. I prepare it in the restaurant, as well. First, I get it and clean it before preparing, then I season it with salt, pepper and oregano that I get from Greece. Then I place it in the fish basket and put it on the charcoal grill. From there, I make my lemon and oil sauce to put on the fish. I love the ocean, because all the fish is wild; there’s nothing better than a fish that comes from the sea to your plate—that’s why I enjoy it.”
Photo credit: Elizabeth and Jerry Zapantis, courtesy of GRK Grill
BRYAN TORTORELLA, EXECUTIVE CHEF OF STEEL WHEEL TAVERN
{51 North Broad Street, Ridgewood; 201.882.1800; STEELWHEELTAVERN.COM}
“I would have to say—because it’s my only day off—Sunday is definitely a family type of day, so I stay close to my Italian roots and go for my Nonna’s meatballs and sauce, or as the Italians call it, gravy. The kids jump in and help out, rolling the meatballs and helping with the sauce.”
Photo credit: [Chef Bryan Tortorella, courtesy of Steel Wheel Tavern
ALDO CASCIO, OWNER/CHEF OF ALDO’S RESTAURANT AND THE BRICK HOUSE
{ALDO’S: 640 Wyckoff Avenue, Wyckoff; 201.891.2618; ALDOSOFWYCKOFF.COM}
{THE BRICK HOUSE: 179 Godwin Avenue, Wyckoff; 201.848.1211; THEBRICKHOUSEWYCKOFF.COM}
“Pasta. It is my favorite meal because I grew up with it, and I love to cook pasta in many different ways. All my friends and family enjoy it, and my customers do, too.”
Photo credit: Aldo Cascio, courtesy of Aldo Cascio
By Jessica D’Amico
