Taste
CUISINE
CHEF CONVERSATIONS In the kitchen with Viola Tagliaferri of Pomodoro Italian Grill & Seafood
BY ALISON BAILIN BATZ / PHOTO BY DEBBY WOLVOS
As the executive chef of Pomodoro Italian Grill & Seafood, Viola Tagliaferri creates dishes that display her deep-rooted Italian heritage in a modernized, flavor-forward way.
Tell us about your Italian roots. I grew up in a small town outside of Umbria called Gualdo Tadino in central Italy. The region in general is known for its cuisine, especially foraged truffles and wine. There are five children in my family, and we sourced most of the food we ate from our own garden and animals. How did you get into cooking? My mother was a smart woman. To keep us busy in colder months, she devised cooking contests for the children as well as for our friends. The winners earned little candies, but I earned a passion for the art and science of food as well. I’ve been cooking ever since. Tell us about your culinary journey. I served as a professional chef in Italy for over a decade before moving to Arizona in 2018 with my husband, Federico Venturini, after we visited friends here and fell in love with the Carefree/ Cave Creek area as well as all the glorious sun. In September 2019, together with longtime friend Phil Igneri, we opened Pizzicata in Carefree, using family recipes. Its success led us to open Pomodoro in September 2020, despite the pandemic. What is the concept of Pomodoro? The most important thing is to give people what they crave, be it seafood, pasta, meat or dietary restricted items. Many of the recipes are modern interpretations of my mother’s, grandmother’s and mother-in-law’s recipes I’ve tinkered with, both at home and in professional kitchens, for years. What are some of the standout dishes? Zucchini flowers are everywhere in my hometown, so our Fiori Fritti – zucchini flowers stuffed with seasoned goat cheese, green pea cream sauce – are near and dear to my heart. Our guests also have a love affair with our Ravioli Short Rib, which has braised beef, my special ragu sauce and garlic, as well as the Branzino Cartoccio with capers, olives and tomatoes. What are your personal favorite and least favorite foods to eat? Pasta trumps everything, of course! As for dislikes, definitely liver. Pomodoro Italian Grill & Seafood, 6710 E. Cave Creek Road, Cave Creek; 480.524.0989; www.pomodorousa.com.
So Scottsdale! May ‘21
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