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Chef Brittany Middlemiss
T U R N S U P T H E H E AT AT M O LTO V I N O Since 2013, Molto Vino has been serving up an authentic taste of Italy. Well known for their huge platters of Italian cured meats and cheese boards, their famed wood fired personal pizzas, and delicious wines (over 100 varieties of available by the glass), lately, it’s this quaint wine and cheese osteria’s talented new chef that’s got people talking. Since coming on board last year, loyal patrons have fallen head over heels for Executive Chef Brittany Middlemiss’ manner of cooking, which is known in the culinary world as ‘peasant food’ style. This type of cooking often involves skilled preparation by knowledgeable cooks using inventiveness and expertise passed down from earlier generations. We recently spent an evening dining at Molto Vino with friends. Everything is fresh and made as it’s ordered. Most of the food is served to share, so we were able to sample several of the menu items. The pasta dishes were truly outstanding. We were so impressed with the excellence of the food, and intrigued by the young chef who was preparing it. We had to meet Chef Brittany…and so we did.
T H E L I S T : What are your
earliest memories of enjoying cooking, and was there someone who inspired you?
C H E F B R I T TA N Y : My earliest
memories of enjoying cooking were in my grandma’s house - helping her prepare dinner every day for my grandfather. We would roll out dough together with her marble rolling pin to make focaccia breads, or ravioli, etc. I’m inspired to cook by my grandmother because she is a true woman of the kitchen. She cooks ‘peasant food’ and can create something amazing from nothing. She has always grown her own fruits and vegetables, which was a big influence growing up because most kids didn’t grow up eating the food I did. I would show up to school with a frittata wrapped in tinfoil!
T H E L I S T : When did you
decide to become a chef?
C H E F B R I T TA N Y : I decided to
become a chef after graduating from business school down in Florida. I returned home to NY after college with no plan. I woke up one morning and said to myself ‘I’m going to culinary
school because food is my only passion’ and I needed to feel like I had a purpose.
T H E L I S T : Do you have any
formal training? What was your greatest learning experience?
C H E F B R I T TA N Y : I do have
formal training, I attended the Institute of Culinary Education in NYC. My greatest learning experience was culinary school. I definitely knew flavor prior to school, however, learning knife skills, how to move around a professional kitchen, and little secrets from chefs that have worked at top restaurants in Manhattan was a valuable privilege. A few years ago I had a wonderful opportunity to travel around the Amalfi Coast in southern Italy. I spent time in Positano and Capri, which is where Max (Massimiliano Garguilo, owner of Molto Vino) hails from. I had an amazing experience while I was there. I did a cooking class with “Mama Agata”, where I learned how to make Eggplant Melanzane (Eggplant Parmigiana) in her home kitchen! We cooked all
day using ingredients from her garden, then sat at a beautiful table overlooking the sea. Truly an incredible day where my love for cooking became even more apparent. I make this eggplant at Molto Vino now…it’s my specialty! This is something me and Max bond over since he is from that region of Italy.
T H E L I S T : Tell us what brought you to Molto Vino.
C H E F B R I T TA N Y : I got my first
taste of working in the field when I started at Molto Vino as part of an externship that I had to complete for school. I loved it there so much I decided to stay on after I graduated, which is what led me to become the head chef. I love the culture and the vibe of the place. It was also perfect timing for Max and I; he was looking for someone to help the place grow, and I was looking for a platform to share my food. My favorite part about being the chef at Molto Vino is the chance to create a different dish every day. My favorites are the Eggplant Parmigiana and Crab Cakes, oh and of course the white pizza with black olives and truffle oil. We’re a small establishment, so
we are able to personalize the dish to satisfy the customer. If someone wants a dish of spaghetti carbonara - no problem we’ll run out and get eggs! We plan on introducing a new menu very soon, incorporating seafood and also Piadinas, which are Italian flatbread sandwiches from the Romagna region of Italy filled with various meats and vegetables. Between the staff being from Italy and the food being simple and authentic, you experience a little piece of Italy in Babylon.
T H E L I S T : Can you share any of your cooking secrets?
C H E F B R I T TA N Y : Sure! Always
start with a good base of ingredients…meaning a good sea salt, fresh black pepper, quality olive oil and fresh herbs. With this, it will be hard to mess up. Another secret is to save your pasta cooking water - this is liquid gold when creating a luscious sauce for pasta dishes. I don’t measure the salt I add to the cooking water – I add salt to it until it tastes like the sea. And always taste what you’re cooking!
MOLTO VINO, 34 Deer Park Avenue, Babylon Village O P E N I N G S O O N ! Coal-fired brick oven pizzeria-restaurant MOLTO PIZZA, 376 Deer Park Avenue, Babylon Village 6 | THE LIST MAGAZINE
917.559.7821
