Happenings has the dish on what some local chefs have to say about ingredients, the holidays and themselves!

Meet the Chefs:
Cory Giovannucci (CG), Pantry Chef at Marvelous Muggs (Moosic) for over 3 years
Keith Van Horn (KV), Manager and Cook at the Prince Hotel (Tunkhannock) for 14 years
Sara Trauger (ST), Executive Chef at State Street Grill (Clarks Summit) for over 3 years
Giovanni (John) A. Mandarano (GM), Owner/President/Chef at Giovanni’s (Dunmore) for nearly 20 years
Daniel Yale (DY), Owner of the Fireplace Restaurant (Tunkhannock) who worked his way up the ranks since he was fifteen years old
Jeff Galella (JG), Chef at Michaelangelo’s (Clarks Summit) for 2 years
Mike Suchy (MS), Owner/Chef at Michaelangelo’s (Clarks Summit) for 10 years
Robert Sibio (RS), Chef/Owner at Sibio’s (Dunmore) for 24 years.
Ender Alfonso Hernandez (AH), Chef at Amore Restaurant (Clarks Summit) for 3 years

Three ingredients you can’t live without and why?
CG: Garlic. You’ve got to like garlic with an Italian background, and it adds immense flavor. Pepper adds a nice kick to everything, and salt brings out a lot in the food.
KV: Chicken stock, because it’s used in sautéing and soups, and spices and garlic.
ST: Lemons, because even if you don’t know lemons are in a dish, it brightens up the flavors and brings out underlying flavor tones (I’d even put lemon on my cereal, but that’s just me!). Salt, because it’s very important to use salt in the right way and understand what it’s all about. Many people under or over-salt, but has to be tested to bring out flavor of the dish. Hot sauce, especially one that’s very chili-y, lime-y and garlic-y and kind of addicting!
GM: Flour, cheese and tomatoes, because that’s what makes a pizza!
DY: Family of caring workers, great customers and the ability to serve excellent food. Because we truly want everyone to feel at home at our fireplace!
JG: Salt & pepper, because they’re vital to cooking. Fresh herbs from my herb garden. Wine, because the depth of flavor brings richness and wakes anything up.
MS: Salt & pepper. Also grape seed oil, because it takes higher heat.
RS: Chocolate- it’s so good. Fresh herbs and olive oil, because they’re an important part of what we do here and how we cook everyday. Great ingredients means great results!
AH: Dijon mustard, it gives a different taste in your mouth after you eat a piece of your meal with it. Also lemon and balsamic vinegar.

Most useful cooking utensil?
CG: Knife
KV: Sautee pan
ST: I have a favorite pair of kitchen tongs!
GM: Pizza peel and oven
DY: My imagination
JG: Knife
MS: Hands, for tasting. That’s the most important thing; I doesn’t use measurements; I judge everything by how it tastes.
RS: I can’t do anything without my chef’s knives.
AH: Everything! We use it all in the kitchen.
Do you do the cooking at your own home?
CG: yes
KV: Yes, but not much, because we’re here at restaurant a lot.
ST: Not so much, if I were home more, I would cook more. I cook for my family once in a while.
GM: Sometimes, I like to grill.
DY: My wife Laura and I share the cooking at home.
JG: I’m never home to cook.
MS: At times. My wife is a good cook also – who is cooking depends on what dish we’re making.
RS: No.
AH: I do cook a lot at home, especially grilling.

Is there anything you wouldn’t ever eat?
CG: I’m not a huge fan of squid.
KV: Liver and lima beans
ST: Over-processed foods. That’s why in the restaurant I think it’s important to make everything fresh and made to order instead of depending on a box.
GM: Insects, they seem to be coming mainstream, and I can’t see it.
DY: I’m a firm believer in trying everything once.
JG: Chitlin. I would never try that again.
MS: I will at least try anything.
RS: Snakes. I watch the travel channels, and they eat all those cool things.
AH: I’d like to try every single food in the world. I wish I could travel all over the world just to try the food.

Is there anything in your refrigerator that might surprise people?
CG: No. I stick with the standard foods.
KV: Nothing that I know of!
ST: A stash of really good chocolates and a lot of organic stuff.
GM: Chinese ingredients; I make my own pad Thai.
DY: Food! Because when you own a restaurant, you are hardly ever home!
JG: Absence of American cheese & booze!
MS: Yogurt cheese.
RS: I have nothing in the fridge at home. I’m a single guy and don’t cook at home, so there’s nothing to eat.
AH: A lack of food...we don’t keep a lot in the cooler; we try to use a lot of food fresh from the market.

What food signifies the holidays to you?
CG: Homemade pastas and sauces
KV: Chicken Marsala – the brown color reflects changing of leaves.
ST: Anything with spices (nutmeg or cinnamon), like apple pies
GM: When Italian cookies start popping up, I know it’s the holidays. I’m a trained baker, so biscotti and cannoli are good.
DY: Our famous pumpkin loaf
JG: Lots of seafood on Christmas Eve and handmade ravioli on Christmas
MS: Good pastries, I take pride in our homemade ice cream too.
RS: Local nut roll and kielbasa are everywhere during the holidays.
AH: Any dishes with pumpkin or butternut squash.
What will be on your Thanksgiving table that is unique?
CG: Homemade cappelletti where whole family gets involved in making them
KV: We do a full course dinner at the restaurant, so there will be traditional turkey as well as seafood and steaks.
ST: I try to stay traditional. It’s the same meal I’ve had since I was a kid; that’s why it’s so good!
GM: My wife Michele makes it pretty traditional. We have six kids (ages 13 to 23) in our house, so there’s lots of corn on the cob, vegetables, potatoes and gravy, and stuffing is big in our house.
DY: A new dessert we’ve created – a marriage of our pumping loaf, vanilla ice cream and maple cream.
JG: Cranberry Pumpkin Mascarpone
MS: Salt and honey mil turkey (organic)
RS: It’s pretty traditional, nothing crazy.
AH: We do traditional turkey and gravy and potatoes.

If you could only order one dish at your restaurant, what would it be?
CG: Pork chop Calabrese.
KV: Seafood.
ST: The short ribs, because it’s a process to make them with five hours of cooking time. They have a lot of love in them!
GM: It’s a hard choice – there’s 175 items on the menu – but probably a calzone.
DY: Our legendary prime rib.
JG: Any fish that Michael recommends, we’re sticklers for wild fish.
MS: Crème Brule French toast with sauté of fresh fruit.
RS: Pan roasted salmon over sun-dried tomatoes, white beans and fresh spinach drizzled with olive oil and vinegar.
AH: The tuna.

What did you have for breakfast this morning?
CG: I didn’t.
KV: I haven’t had a chance to eat breakfast yet!
ST: Strawberries and a bowl of fresh soba noodles I had just made for a stir fry salad!
GM: Kashi
DY: Coffee!
JG: Coffee.
MS: Sprouted bread with organic peanut butter, organic banana and organic yogurt cheese.
RS: Special K and bananas with skim milk.
AH: I don’t eat breakfast; I’m just not a breakfast person.