T his book was inspired by Artie Cutlers nineteen-year journey. Artie was a legend in the restaurant industry, a visionary, who not only predicted culinary trends, but showed incredible foresight in aquiring real estate and in developing markets. The list of just some of his restaurants, many of which may be familiar, best exemplify that vision: Murrays Sturgeon Shop, Docks Oyster Bar & Seafood Grill, Haru, Ollies Noodle Shops, Columbia and Times Square Bagels, Monsoon, Virgils BBQ, Arties Deli, Gabrielas, and the flagship of our company and subject of this book, Carmines.
Sadly, Artie left us too soon, before he could see the culmination of all his dreams. After Arties death, his wife, Alice, took over as president, majority shareholder, and keeper of Arties vision. Since I joined the company nine years ago, Alice has become not only the most amazing partner I could ask for, but a dear friend and mentor. Words cannot adequately express the respect and affection I hold for her and her family With her support and confidence, she has allowed me, as CEO, to make decisions that have brought the company and brand to ever higher levels, an accomplishment I feel certain would make her husband proud.
Although my official title is CEO of the Alicart Restaurant Group, I feel more like the conductor of the worlds greatest culinary orchestra. As with all thriving collaborations, true success cannot come without the hard work and dedication of all members of the ensemble. Currently, our orchestra has about a thousand players; at the request of the editor, I will only mention a few significant people, without whom these achievements and this book would not be possible:
Carl Milner, Alices brother, joined the company after Artie passed away, helping take control and organize the more than twenty-nine various business ventures Artie had been involved in. Not content to just be a restaurateur, Artie was an avid horseracing and boxing fan. He owned trotters with family friend Jeff Gural, and also invested in a prizefighter with Jeff Baynon and Tom Cavallaro. Carl selflessly uprooted himself to stand by his sisters side, and in turn helped to restore order in the company. Today Carl remains active and is involved in Gabrielas.
Michael Ronis, founding chef and partner, has shown that his passion for food knows no bounds. His talent is quite evident throughout the pages of this amazing book. He has grown into the role of elder statesman, training and allowing our younger staff to step into strong supervisory positions.
Chief Operating Officer Gary Bologna, and Executive Chef Glenn Rolnick, both partners, are truly the eyes and ears of the restaurants. Together, their synergy, dedication, and passion make them the best partners anyone could ask for. They, along with Alice, are the heart and soul of this company and I am so grateful for their support. Id like to thank their wives, Roberta and Karen, respectively, for their encouragement as well. Their generosity and patience, especially during new restaurant openings, have allowed us to grow as we have.
Though I mention the following people only brieflymuch the way credits roll by too fast at the end of a moviedo not underestimate their importance. They are the true operators of our restaurants. The majority of them have been with the company for many, many years, and it is with great pride that we watch their professional and personal growth:
Assistant Director of Operations Michael Honea; Corporate Sous Chef Chris ONeil; GM and Associate Partner Michael Connolly, Carmines 44th St.; GM and Associate Partner Carl Delponte, Carmines 91st St.; Beverage Director James Yacyshyn; Director of Banquets Penny Kaplan; Director of Training Bea Stein; the chefs of Carmines, Jeff Gotta, Louis Javier, Joe Delgado, AnthonyPenn, and Terry Natas. Thank you to Nat Milner, managing partner of Gabrielas, for keeping that brand alive, going on its fourteenth year.
Leading our accounting staff at Alicart is Drew Kuruc, along with Theresa Chang and her entire staff. A special thanks to Amanda Wetzstein, my former administrative assistant, who has since moved on to southern, greener pastures, and is sorely missed.
Without St. Martins Press and editor Elizabeth Beiers passion, you would only be eating at a Carmines and not cooking Carmines recipes at home today. Thank you also to her assistant, Michelle Richter; production editor, Bob Berkel; interior designer, James Sinclair; production manager, Cheryl Mamaril; and cover designers, David Rotstein and Steve Snider.
Mary Goodbody is a true professional in every sense who worked tirelessly with Michael Ronis to translate corporate recipes into household recipes that still match the flavor of Carmines.
Thanks to Michael Psaltis of Regal Literary for his guidance, and to Alex Martinez, whose pictures are so incredible that my kids tried to literally eat this book.
Also thanks to Stuart Newman and Roy Tumpowsky, two of our trusted advisors, and to Dr. Jane Sullivan, of Sullivan and Associates, whose advice has always been insightful and valuable.
In my more than twenty years in the hospitality industry, I can honestly say that the Alicart Restaurant Group has assembled one of the best teams in the business, and the family-style portions you experience at Carmines seem to emanate from our staffs family-style attitude toward each other.
My love for my wife, Karen, daughter, Sarah, and son, Andrew, inspire me to work hard every day, and together they make a fabulous focus group for Carmines.
Thank you to my mother and father for the values they instilled in me and my sister and also cookbook author Lauren Bank Deen and brother Dr. Michael Bank, who remind me that family is everything.
I hope you enjoy exploring these recipes in the comfort of your home with your family, and that you are able to visit Carmines to share a fabulous meal with our family.
JEFFREY BANK
CEO AND PARTNER OF THE ALICART RESTAURANT GROUP
When you are at Carmines, there are happy people around you and everyone is smiling.
ALICE CUTLER, PRESIDENT AND PARTNER
T he intoxicating aromas of garlic, olive oil, and tomatoes waft through the front door of Carmines so that from the moment you enter, you find yourself salivating. As you are led to your table, waiters pass by carrying trays loaded with large platters of hot antipasti, crisp Caesar salad, garlic bread oozing butter, pasta with white clam sauce, steak Contadina, and eggplant Parmesan. Dizzy with anticipation for the meal ahead, you suddenly are distracted by the sight of a gigantic ice cream dessertaptly named, you later discover, the Titanicon its way to a happy group at a nearby table. Everywhere you look, customers look well fed, happy, and relaxed. This is going to be some meal!
Laughter fills the air, bubbling into the room and dancing off the walls as it mingles with cheerful conversation and the gloriously inviting scents emanating from the constantly swinging kitchen doors. The tables are spacious, the lighting muted, the wood paneling dark, and the warm-toned beige walls are filled with black-and-white photographs of Italian families and well-known Italian Americans. Everything is designed to evoke the past and the great culinary heritage Italian immigrants brought to our shores, but nothing is actually old or outmoded.
This is the Carmines experience. Its this experience that you can bring home to your family when you prepare the recipes on the following pages. Our food is a synthesis of what Italians, many from Southern Italy, broughtwith them to New York when they passed through Ellis Island on their way to a better life. It is food rich with tomato sauces, fresh herbs, garlic, olive oil, seafood, pasta, sausages, cheese, and lots of love.