Eric LeVine - Small Bites Big Flavor: Simple, Savory, and Sophisticated Recipes for Entertaining

I cant think of a more exciting time than right now to be a chef in America. The media and the country as a whole are having a love affair with food, and chefs have taken on rock star status. While fame among the masses and respect among your peers dont come easily in this industry, those with talent, drive, and the guts to go for it do find their success. In my book, theres no better example of the creative, tenacious chef than Eric LeVine.

I met Eric before this food revolution, in the early 1990s when he came to work for me at the River Caf in Brooklyn. He was a fellow graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, and I welcomed him into the kitchen and hoped he had potential. The River Caf is a tough testing ground. It is a New York City icon known for really raising the bar when it comes to the modern interpretation of classic cuisinedeveloping flavor profiles, sourcing local and seasonal ingredients, demanding perfection.

From the beginning, I knew Eric would succeed. He was an eager, curious student and was detail oriented. He was willing to take both advice and criticism and use them to get better. At the same time, he wasnt afraid to make a suggestion or try something new. Like me, he was a kid in a candy store when it came to foodexperimental, creative, and passionate. But he also had a great respect for ingredients and for the fundamentals of good cooking.

Note:

All recipes requiring salt use kosher salt; all recipes using pepper use white pepper unless otherwise indicated.

All presentations shown within these pages are conceptsfeel free to use your own ideas! If you have questions, contact me via my website, ChefEricLeVine.com.

Experience Level

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= Medium

= Advanced

In time, Eric left the River Caf. He knew that it was time to build his culinary repertoire abroad, and he spent time working with top chefs in France, Italy, and Japan. He kept in touch, and when he returned I could tell that hed matured; hed further built that crucial foundation that a good chef must learn to honor before he can successfully interpretor put his own spin oningredients and recipes. And most important, hed learned to trust his instincts. I wasnt surprised when the awards and accolades started pouring in for him.

Eric has developed his niche over the years, gaining respect as a restaurateur, caterer, consultant, and teacher. Hes mastered the concept of small platesrecipes that pack flavor and creativity into one bite. Hes also become a chefs chefsomeone who enjoys the process as much as the result, who rises to the challenge but is always willing to learn more. With Small Bites Big Flavor, he further solidifies his spot among the nations best. These are recipes that are worth the effort, not just because they taste good, but because they challenge the home cook to think more like a professional chefto find great ingredients, interpret them creatively, and present them beautifully. I am proud to call Eric a colleague and, when you get right down to it, a guy whose food I really enjoy.

David Burke