Saturday, February 25, 2012

Top Chef Top 10: Mike Isabella

Fast-talking, deeply talented and sometimes abrasive, Mike Isabella was a tough competitor on Top Chef All-Stars. The DC chef tells F&W’s Kate Krader about 10 of his obsessions.

“The most beautiful place I’ve ever been. A lot of the hotels and houses are built right into the cliffs. I got to see the best sunsets in the world.”

“He’s the funniest comedian today. He always plays a grown man acting like a big kid. I can relate; I still sometimes think of myself as a kid at a carnival.”

“If you make whole-wheat pasta right, it has the same silky texture as regular pasta. I serve it with arugula pesto to give it a spring flavor.”

“That movie gave me goose bumps. Natalie Portman was one of the judges who sent me home on Top Chef Season 6, so I’m not really a fan, but her Black Swan performance was unreal.”

“I’m a pool kind of guy. I grew up going to the Jersey Shore, but I didn’t go in the ocean there; the water’s not appealing.”

“Between Season 6 and All-Stars I gained about 40 pounds. So far, I’ve lost 25 of them.”

“I like thick noodles; bucatini is my favorite. Growing up we’d buy it, but now I make it really fast with my Kitchen Aid mixer’s pasta attachment.”

“At Bandolero, I’ll serve Mexican small plates. I cooked at a Mexican place early in my career; this is my take on that.”

Mike Isabella: Frankie Flood Pizza Cutters

“Frankie Flood pizza cutters [like the Pizza for Life, above] look like motorcycles. One of my tattoos is based on their Easy Rider cutter.”

“My restaurant Graffiato is across the street from where they play. I hope Alex Ovechkin becomes my best customer.”

Mike Isabella

Top Chef all-star Mike Isabella. Photo © Greg Powers.


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