TuttoTocana Puts on a Show at De Gustibus Macy’s Herald Square
Event number two took place at the World’s Largest Department Store: the De Gustibus Cooking School located on the 8th floor of the Macy’s flagship store in Herald Square! We all headed to Macy’s where the group had a meeting with Salvatore Rizzo, who briefed the entire group on the location’s background. While part of the group remained with our chefs at Macy’s, the rest continued to prep for the upcoming JBF lunch and dinner.
The De Gustibus event is unique for its approach to demonstrating food. Chefs cook live from the stage and the large mirror panel fixed below the ceiling gives a clear food of each step and technique to audiences members from the first to the very last row. Demo chefs not only cook step by step but also show the ingredients, field questions from the crowd, and share secrets and tidbits for the best recipe result possible in the home kitchen.
Shortly before the cooking demo start, De Gustibus quickly filled up with many food lovers anxiously waiting for the session to begin. The event began with an introduction by Salvatore, who then introduced Chef Andrea. Chef commenced by demonstrating the calamari stew and the traditional Tuscan dish of “naked” gnocchi, called gnudi. He then introduced Chef Desi to the demo, who entertained the audience with the artichoke risotto topped with roasted quail followed by seared pork strips in tomato sauce with a sprinkling of fried eggplant. The evening was wrapped up by Chef Simone, who immediately won over the crowd, as he demonstrated his light yet intensely flavored strawberry fantasy while telling tales of his background and how his first week (ever) in the United States was proceeding in the Big Apple.