New York City Wine and Food Festival 2023 – Landmarc

New York City Wine and Food Festival 2023, Landmarc – a look in Three parts – by Dick Beach.

Part 2

What a departure from the event of last evening.  Today (Oct 14) we chose to attend a smaller event at the Landmarc location on the lower west side of the city.  Dine and Demo with Scott Conant.  Chef Conant is primarily known for his Italian cuisine.

The dishes were wonderful.  At Crudo of Tuna with Fresno Peppers and Risotto and Short Rib.  Now, I could go into excruciating detail about both.  And, believe me, it would be worth it.  However, let’s take a look at how he demoed the risotto.

Chef made it clear – risotto is not just cooking rice.  It is a process.  Two days (at least) to make the onions, slowly over very low heat allowing them to reduce to a golden color and puréed into a sweet, loose paste.  Toast the rice lightly (use a high starch rice such as Arborio or Carnaroli), then olive oil and measured amounts of chicken stock…..stirring the entire time.  No – do not put down the spoon.  Test for salt and texture periodically – then add Parmigiano to finish.  That process is 25 – 30 minutes total (did I mention that you have to constantly stir?). Add the slow roasted short rib – and you are complete.  Oh, braise the short ribs bone on, etc…….

Enough with the food.

Chef Conant answered questions from the folks in attendance, told stories about Food Network experiences, how he hates to compete, about getting into cooking when the vocational school he went to had no more room to become a plumber……yup.

Now for the, well, interesting part.  One of the attendees, dressed in her finest “Freaks on Parade” tee-shirt (the rest of us were rather less casually attired (not dressed to the nines by any means – but business casual) asked a question.  And started by saying she had no idea who he was and that her friend brought her along – oh, it gets better.  When asked how he got started, Chef Conant began to fill us in, but that was not going to happen.  HER son had been called twice to be on Chopped Junior on Food Network and declined.  We were not impressed……and Chef Conant was convivial about it.  The rest of us, not so much.

Now, how do you know the man is as nice as he seems – he walked around, spoke with every one and we mentioned her fine attire and that if her son was obviously either not that good – or chicken.  Thought the man was going to burst a vein in has neck he laughed so hard.

We at RadioRadioX and the Xperience have the great good fortune of meeting and speaking with a bunch of different folks.  By and large, the experience is great.  In this case – Scott Conant is obviously one of the good guys and appreciates what he has and is happy to chat about that, or where to go for great food, or let us take down the boorish ones.

On to the next event.