Cesare Casella
Encyclopedia
Cesare Casella is a Italian
chef
, restaurateur
, writer
, consultant
and educator. He is the owner and executive chef of Salumeria Rosi a salami
shop and restaurant
located in New York City
's Upper West Side
.
owned by his parents, Rosa and Pietro, outside of Lucca, Italy. At age 14, Casella enrolled in the Culinary Institute Ferdinando Martini, in Montecatini. After graduating, he worked in his parents' trattoria in an effort to transform Vipore from a local favorite into both a regional and international destination. Here, he began developing his trademark herbal cuisine updating traditional Italian recipes with new ideas and twists. In 1991 Trattoria Vipore was awarded a Michelin star.
Casella opened Salumeria Rosi in 2008, a small Italian salumeria con cucina near Lincoln Center
, opened in partnership with the Italian meat cured meat producer, Parmacotto. Since its opening, Casella’s salumeria has been met with a number of accolades and good reviews, including the honor of “Best Meatballs” in New York Magazine, a notable “Dining Brief” by The New York Times' Frank Bruni
, and four stars by Time Out New York and the magazine’s “Critic’s Choice” award.
, previously known as the French Culinary Institute, appointed Casella as the first dean of Italian Studies in both New York City and Parma, Italy. Casella designed and wrote the curriculum for the joint programs and will continue to oversee the training of all chefs and instructors involved. The International Culinary Center School of Italian Studies, formerly known as The Italian Culinary Academy, launched in October 2006 in New York City and in January 2007 in Parma.
Casella also serves as Senior Manager of the DaVinci Project at The Center for Discovery, where he is working to raise awareness about sustainability and nutrition. In Spring 2011, Casella launched The Italian Cooking School, a program in which he leads authentic culinary tours across Italy. Customers engage in private hands-on cooking classes with Michelin-starred chefs, sample the wares of local food producers, and travel around Italy. Casella is also currently working on a new project entitled “True Italian,” which is aimed at promoting a deep education in, and understanding of, Italian cuisine, ingredients and culture.
, Bon Appetit
, Food & Wine
, The New York Times
, The Wall Street Journal
, New York Magazine and Men’s Health. He has appeared on shows ranging from “Iron Chef
,” “Top Chef
,” “Master Chef Australia
,” “Best Thing I Ever Ate
,” “No Reservations,” “Food Porn,” and “After Hours with Daniel Boulud,” to shorter segments on ABC and CBS news and Martha Stewart Living
. He appears regularly at the James Beard House and DeGustibus in New York City, as a featured guest chef, and is an active member and supporter of City Harvest, Slow Food
, Chef’s Collaborative, Seafood Alliance and the Gruppo Ristoratori Italiani (GRI), an organization which seeks to promote Italian cuisine.
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
chef
Chef
A chef is a person who cooks professionally for other people. Although over time the term has come to describe any person who cooks for a living, traditionally it refers to a highly skilled professional who is proficient in all aspects of food preparation.-Etymology:The word "chef" is borrowed ...
, restaurateur
Restaurateur
A restaurateur is a person who opens and runs restaurants professionally. Although over time the term has come to describe any person who owns a restaurant, traditionally it refers to a highly skilled professional who is proficient in all aspects of the restaurant business.-Etymology:The word...
, writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
, consultant
Consultant
A consultant is a professional who provides professional or expert advice in a particular area such as management, accountancy, the environment, entertainment, technology, law , human resources, marketing, emergency management, food production, medicine, finance, life management, economics, public...
and educator. He is the owner and executive chef of Salumeria Rosi a salami
Salami
Salami is cured sausage, fermented and air-dried meat, originating from one of a variety of animals. Historically, salami has been popular among Southern European peasants because it can be stored at room temperature for periods of up to 10 years, supplementing a possibly meager or inconsistent...
shop and restaurant
Restaurant
A restaurant is an establishment which prepares and serves food and drink to customers in return for money. Meals are generally served and eaten on premises, but many restaurants also offer take-out and food delivery services...
located in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
's Upper West Side
Upper West Side
The Upper West Side is a neighborhood in the borough of Manhattan, New York City, that lies between Central Park and the Hudson River and between West 59th Street and West 125th Street...
.
Culinary background
Casella learned the trade in Il Vipore, the trattoriaTrattoria
A trattoria is an Italian-style eating establishment, less formal than a ristorante, but more formal than an osteria. There are generally no printed menus, the service is casual, wine is sold by the decanter rather than the bottle, prices are low, and the emphasis is on a steady clientele rather...
owned by his parents, Rosa and Pietro, outside of Lucca, Italy. At age 14, Casella enrolled in the Culinary Institute Ferdinando Martini, in Montecatini. After graduating, he worked in his parents' trattoria in an effort to transform Vipore from a local favorite into both a regional and international destination. Here, he began developing his trademark herbal cuisine updating traditional Italian recipes with new ideas and twists. In 1991 Trattoria Vipore was awarded a Michelin star.
Restaurants
In 1993, Casella was named Executive Chef of Coco Pazzo in New York City. Soon afterwards, he launched its sister restaurant, Il Toscanaccio. In March 2001, he opened his first solo New York restaurant, Beppe, in honor of his grandfather, Giuseppe Polidori. Casella then launched “Republic of Beans”, an Italian import company of heirloom beans, grains and spices. In 2005, Casella opened the critically acclaimed Italian restaurant Maremma, located in Manhattan’s historic West Village. In 2006, New York Magazine named Maremma one of the Top 5 “Best New Restaurants” in New York City and bestowed Maremma with the honor of “Best Mac-n-Cheese.”Casella opened Salumeria Rosi in 2008, a small Italian salumeria con cucina near Lincoln Center
Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts
Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts is a complex of buildings in the Lincoln Square neighborhood of New York City's Upper West Side. Reynold Levy has been its president since 2002.-History and facilities:...
, opened in partnership with the Italian meat cured meat producer, Parmacotto. Since its opening, Casella’s salumeria has been met with a number of accolades and good reviews, including the honor of “Best Meatballs” in New York Magazine, a notable “Dining Brief” by The New York Times' Frank Bruni
Frank Bruni
Frank Anthony Bruni is an American journalist. He was the chief restaurant critic of The New York Times, a position he held from 2004 to 2009. In May 2011, he became the first openly gay Op-Ed columnist of The New York Times....
, and four stars by Time Out New York and the magazine’s “Critic’s Choice” award.
Other activities
In 2006, the International Culinary CenterInternational Culinary Center
The International Culinary Center, with locations in SoHo, New York City and in the San Francisco Bay Area of California, is home to The French Culinary Institute, The International Culinary Center School of Italian Studies, formerly The Italian Culinary Academy, FCI Catering and Events, and...
, previously known as the French Culinary Institute, appointed Casella as the first dean of Italian Studies in both New York City and Parma, Italy. Casella designed and wrote the curriculum for the joint programs and will continue to oversee the training of all chefs and instructors involved. The International Culinary Center School of Italian Studies, formerly known as The Italian Culinary Academy, launched in October 2006 in New York City and in January 2007 in Parma.
Casella also serves as Senior Manager of the DaVinci Project at The Center for Discovery, where he is working to raise awareness about sustainability and nutrition. In Spring 2011, Casella launched The Italian Cooking School, a program in which he leads authentic culinary tours across Italy. Customers engage in private hands-on cooking classes with Michelin-starred chefs, sample the wares of local food producers, and travel around Italy. Casella is also currently working on a new project entitled “True Italian,” which is aimed at promoting a deep education in, and understanding of, Italian cuisine, ingredients and culture.
Writings and TV appearances
Casella has written several books including True Tuscan (Morrow 2005), Italian Cooking for Dummies (Wiley 2002), Diary of a Tuscan Chef (Broadway 1998), and the forthcoming Introduction to Italian Cuisine, which will be the textbook for the Italian Culinary Academy. He has also been featured in many publications, including GourmetGourmet (magazine)
Gourmet magazine was a monthly publication of Condé Nast and the first U.S. magazine devoted to food and wine. Founded by Earle R. MacAusland and first published in 1941, Gourmet also covered "good living" on a wider scale....
, Bon Appetit
Bon Appétit
Bon Appétit describes itself as "a food and entertaining magazine" and is published monthly. Named after the French phrase for "Enjoy your meal", it was started by M. Frank Jones in Kansas City in 1956...
, Food & Wine
Food & Wine
Food & Wine is a monthly magazine published by American Express Publishing. It was founded in 1978 by Ariane and Michael Batterberry. It features recipes, cooking tips, travel information, restaurant reviews, chefs, wine pairings and seasonal/holiday content and has been credited by The New York...
, The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
, The Wall Street Journal
The Wall Street Journal
The Wall Street Journal is an American English-language international daily newspaper. It is published in New York City by Dow Jones & Company, a division of News Corporation, along with the Asian and European editions of the Journal....
, New York Magazine and Men’s Health. He has appeared on shows ranging from “Iron Chef
Iron Chef
is a Japanese television cooking show produced by Fuji Television. The series, which premiered on October 10, 1992, is a stylized cook-off featuring guest chefs challenging one of the show's resident "Iron Chefs" in a timed cooking battle built around a specific theme ingredient. The series ended...
,” “Top Chef
Top Chef
Top Chef is an American reality competition show that airs on the cable television network Bravo, in which chefs compete against each other in culinary challenges. They are judged by a panel of professional chefs and other notables from the food and wine industry with one or more contestants...
,” “Master Chef Australia
Masterchef Australia
MasterChef Australia is a Logie award winning Australian competitive cooking game show based on the original British MasterChef. It is produced by FremantleMedia Australia and screens on Network Ten. Restaurateur and chef Gary Mehigan, chef George Calombaris and food critic Matt Preston serve as...
,” “Best Thing I Ever Ate
The Best Thing I Ever Ate
The Best Thing I Ever Ate is a program on the Food Network which premiered on June 22, 2009 . The program originally aired as a one-time special in late 2008...
,” “No Reservations,” “Food Porn,” and “After Hours with Daniel Boulud,” to shorter segments on ABC and CBS news and Martha Stewart Living
Martha Stewart Living
Martha Stewart Living is a magazine and a television show featuring entertaining and home decorating guru Martha Stewart. Both the magazine and the television program focus on the domestic arts. Martha Stewart Living began as a quarterly magazine in 1990, published by Time Inc..and is currently...
. He appears regularly at the James Beard House and DeGustibus in New York City, as a featured guest chef, and is an active member and supporter of City Harvest, Slow Food
Slow Food
Slow Food is an international movement founded by Carlo Petrini in 1986. Promoted as an alternative to fast food, it strives to preserve traditional and regional cuisine and encourages farming of plants, seeds and livestock characteristic of the local ecosystem. It was the first established part of...
, Chef’s Collaborative, Seafood Alliance and the Gruppo Ristoratori Italiani (GRI), an organization which seeks to promote Italian cuisine.