One taste of Chef Anthony Ricco’s cuisine is like tasting home. The Executive Chef of Andrew Carmellini’s Leuca in Williamsburg credits his grandmother’s homemade Italian meals as inspiration for his early love of cooking. It is that concept of delicious ingredient-forward cuisine that distinctly sets Ricco apart from his contemporaries and led him to become the Executive Chef for The William Vale in Brooklyn. Ricco claims that his inspiration when creating dishes begins with “an ingredient first then we build a dish around that. This can be worked into either a pizza, pasta, entree, side dish, or antipasti, I believe cooking seasonally is a must“
Together with Executive Chef Maria Tampakis, Ricco has created an elevated take on some favorites from Leuca including a Malfadine pasta with rapini pesto and sweet and sour peppers, as well as, a decadent whipped ricotta with hot honey, crispy garlic, and herbs. What Ricco hopes that guests who try his new dishes for the hotel take away are the memorable flavors.
As a teenager, he would often cook for his family and occasionally skip class to prepare extravagant meals for his friends. The importance of food and family has also led him to become involved with a charity, The Father Damien House. “Damien House has always been a part of my life and my Aunt has been a huge role model in the family for the dedication she has poured into this cause. Donating our toys and clothes when we were growing up and getting pictures back of children who were using them was a beautiful experience but also knowing what those kids were going through but still seeing them smile helped shape my outlook on life,” says Ricco.
The charity, which is a residential hospital for over 30 Hansen’s patients, and, in addition treats a roster of around 700 outpatients, is a passion for both Ricco and his Aunt. A portion of all orders from our in-room dining series with Chef Ricco will be donated to The Damien House.
Guests looking to experience Leuca in their room can contact Four Seasons Hotel New York Downtown.
