Chef Silvia Barban learned to cook from a young age in the kitchen of her Venetian grandmother. Pairing those northern Italian recipes with the spicy Calabrian influences from her mother’s side of the family, she made a name for herself in America on Season 14 of Top Chef.
Today, she’s the Executive Chef and co-owner of Italian restaurant LaRina in Brooklyn. We talk about her lifelong Italian culinary influences, how the seasons inspire her to innovate, and how to make the perfect gnocchi recipe at home.
What we covered in this episode
- Lessons learned from being on Top Chef (4:08)
- The concept behind LaRina (7:09)
- Where Italian tradition meets modern innovation (9:33)
- How she finds inspiration (12:25)
- When she first learned how to cook (13:29)
- The difference between food from the north and south of Italy (15:20)
- Finding inspiration through seasonality (20:11)
- How LaRina pivoted to stay open through the pandemic (25:46)
- Silvia’s recipe for the perfect gnocchi (27:59)
- Five stops you need to make in Brooklyn (33:12)
- Series of rapid-fire questions.
- Link to the podcast episode on Apple Podcast
Links to other episodes in New York City
Conversation with Executive Pastry Chef Mark Welker
Interview with Chef Gabriel Kreuther
Conversation with Chef David Burke
Interview with Chef Bryce Shuman
Interview with Chef Trigg Brown
Cappellacci from Chef Silvia Barban
agnolotti del plin, black lime, parmigiano
Ricotta Gnocchi , basil pesto, pistacchio, zucchini blossom
Smoked spaghetti , Calabrian chilies ,garlic, eggs, hazelnuts
Pasta dish recipe
Best gnocchi recipe
What is the best sauce for gnocchi?
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Links mentioned in this episode