With many incredible chefs in the Central Mass area, here at Mass Foodies we got to wondering: What do chefs enjoy preparing the most in the kitchen and at home? From there our new series Chef’s Favorite began. Our first stop took us west of Worcester to talk to Chef Chris Rovezzi, executive chef and owner of Rovezzi’s Ristorante in Fiskdale.
Having been through extensive culinary training and sampling the best of what the aisles can offer, Chef Chris Rovezzi can point to only one dish he likes to prepare when he’s at home. What’s most astounding about the dish is its prep time. In a mere 27 seconds, this chef can kick back with a fresh bowl of Lucky Charms.
I thought maybe he was exaggerating so I asked, “What about holidays and special occasions?”
His response: Never.
This doesn’t mean Chris goes without home-cooked meals; his wife, Tracy, does the cooking.
“She makes delicious meals. And, she has an eye for plating. She really goes above and beyond what I would do in some cases,” Rovezzi said.
Despite the restaurant industry’s notoriously late hours and frequent emergencies, Chris manages to make it home for two dinners a week with his wife and daughter.
With the wonderful, yet undeniable, chaos of the restaurant business, being in control seems essential. Given that, it’s hard to imagine why Rovezzi relinquishes all culinary control at home.
The chef recalled a story to help explain his affinity for the multicolored marshmallow cereal and the no-cooking-at-home policy. When Chris was set to meet Tracy’s parents for the first time, they were terrified to cook for a chef.
To allay his future in-laws’ fears, he said, “Anything you make will be wonderful, even if you put out franks and beans.”
They followed his instruction and Chris arrived to a feast of hot dogs and canned baked beans.
“Now that’s not something they would normally prepare but I happily ate it,” Chris said before asking the question: “Want to know why?”
I was stumped.
“Because someone else made it,” he said.
Between keeping track of ingredients and tapping into what the people want, his culinary prowess is satisfied at the restaurant. With that said, he doesn’t have a favorite dish to prepare when he’s there.
“My favorite dish to make is whatever will bring people the most pleasure,” Chris says.
His menu is filled with “fattening” his word and tasty (my word) food made fresh and with passion.
Before saying goodbye, I had to ask one more time: “If your wife didn’t cook, you wouldn’t even crack an egg? Slice up some cheese and a baguette?”
“No, I’d be eating a lot of cereal,” he said through a laugh.
