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He trained under Le Bernardin’s famous cook. Now Robert Sisca has a healthy perspective on kitchen culture.

He trained under Le Bernardin’s famous cook. Now Robert Sisca has a healthy perspective on kitchen culture.

My grandmother and mother were big chefs. I started to cook a little in the high school and really started to enjoy. When we grew up in an Italian family on Long Island, we always went to this restaurant called IL Vagabondo in New York City. My father loved the calf farm.

And then I went to Johnson and Wales in Rhode Island. That is why I am in New England because I came here for school and just fell in love with the area.

What was your big break?

I always wanted to return to New York City. I applied in many different restaurants. I almost worked on Babbo, but in the end I went to one when I went to one on the way to a lake in the West Village. That was my first job in New York City. Beef Wellington was a huge typical dish there; We would sell 200 on super busy nights.

I spent about a year and a half there, and after that I really wanted to push myself and try to go to a very top -class restaurant. I applied for by SE, Le Bernardin and Jean-Georges, and finally I got a position with Le Bernardin. This was rated with Michelin in front of the American restaurants.

One when it is notoriously romantic and atmospheric in the country – with many suggestions. Any unforgettable moments? Did you have to hide a diamond ring in beef Wellington?

No, not in beef Wellington. I think you did that in a soufflé or a dessert. Maybe not a soufflé, because that would be hot. But there was definitely a ring in a dessert.

How is Eric Ripert? He has the reputation of being this Zen personality, which does not seem to fit the joint story of a kitchen atmosphere.

There were definitely some of the best culinary training sessions that I could ever have. And … that’s very true, and it is basically how I now lead my restaurants. I was never very big into screaming or screaming and things like that. I mean, of course, it is a stressful environment and sometimes it gets a little intense.

Do you know that you go into many restaurants and the chefs freak out and just very nervous. We don’t heal cancer; We cook food. We do not save life.

When they freak out and get crazy, they are back and their chefs react like that. However, if you can maintain very quiet behavior in a kitchen, the food comes out better and translate it into a better working environment.

Do you mediate?

Running is probably my new way of staying calm. I will train again for the Boston Marathon this year and it will be my fifth.

How can you reconcile working with training for a marathon? What is your schedule?

If I had gone through my schedule, it would be a little intense. People are like: “How do you do that in one day?” I have 11-year-old twins. You get on the bus around 7:45 a.m. And that gives me training from 7:50 to around 9 a.m.

I try to visit almost all kitchens every day. And I’m constantly trying things all the time. I try to eat a lot of beets and lots of greens and lots of vegetables and protein, salmon and shrimp and the like.

Let’s talk about the Boston Food scene. What do we do well and where could we grow?

When I opened Bistro du Midi 15 years ago in 2009, the Boston Food scene was definitely not as great as now. It has grown: it is certainly just as good as any other city in the country.

Be more precise.

I would say that our seafood must certainly be one of the best in the country because we live here on the coast. All fish are so fresh. We work closely with providers such as Wulfs and Rocky Neck and they are based on the Boston Pier, where they get some of the best seafood.

What do we need?

I can’t use the answer “nothing”, right? I think Boston has pretty much everything, from great cocktail bars to great sushi, large steak houses and large seafood. I mean, to be honest, we think about it all the time. Heaven is always tried to expand and open new restaurants: What would be our next company? But I think Boston has pretty much everything.

Where do you eat near home?

I live in North Attleboro, about 40 minutes outside the city without traffic. With their crazy schedule, it is difficult to get out, but we go a good amount to Providence. We love Gracies (in Providence), which is amazing. Persimmon is great. Oberlin is different. The banks are so close to La Padrona up here. I definitely tried all pasta. The tuna crudo was great and we all got everyone Desserts Also on the menu.

You have several restaurants in the heart of the city. How has the restaurant scene in the city center changed? During Covid, people left the city center and did not work so much in offices.

I think people travel from all over the world, but the restaurant scene in the city center is definitely a little calmer than it was. Some of the offices are not really rented out yet. You also see it in traffic every day. You know that Mondays and Fridays are easy days to drive, while on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday the offices are much fuller. The banks have a good office lunch audience, and our busiest days are Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. The biggest challenge is that people are fully back to work. Some people are hybrid. Usually you have to go in three days a week, and these days are not on Mondays and Fridays.

Do you remember when Anthony Bourdain did not order seafood on certain days? They worked in some of the best restaurants for seafood. Do you have any tips?

Do you know, people say that no fish eats on Sundays or on Mondays, right? I don’t have the feeling that this is 100 percent true, because especially here in Boston we get seafood seven days a week. We don’t sell anything that is not super fresh. We try to ensure that we order every day. Just go to restaurants you believe in and whom you trust.

Are there foods you don’t eat?

I was never really a big fan of meat bread or corned beef when I grew up. And that’s still true. I have to say at Grill 23 we have an amazing meat bread that I like. I would eat that. But meatbill was always one of these things that for me tasted like a well -made burger. But as a cook you have to try everything out.

The interview was edited and condensed.


Kara Baskin can be reached at [email protected]. Follow your @Kcbaskin.