As co-owner of San Francisco’s Cockscomb Restaurant, Napa Valley’s Acacia House, and Portland’s Jackrabbit, Chris Cosentino is clearly passionate about food, and he loves making pasta.
“There’s not one specific that’s my favorite, it’s mainly about what’s in season and what I can find at my local farmer’s market,” said the Season 4 winner of Bravo’s “Top Chef Masters.” “I really love cooking pasta at home. It allows me to create a great meal while not being too overwhelmed, and still fit in time with my family.”
Embracing smart technology
Cooking in the right environment is key. The kitchen of the future, Cosentino believies, will focus on connectivity.
“Already, smart appliances allow you to preheat your oven and set timers from afar,” Cosentino said. “I see a future where people are ‘ordering food’ from inside their fridge, with the fridge taking constant inventory of what’s available and what’s close to expiring.
“Digital meal planning platforms will allow a lot of these technologies to happen, which is why I’m currently working with a mobile app that’s making this kind of kitchen connectivity possible.”
A little extra help
As for the smart kitchen tool Cosentino would most enjoy using, “I’d like to create an interactive recipe program that can answer questions about the dish as you make it. It would be like having a coach in the kitchen.
“This is a huge part of the work I’m doing with SideChef. We both have the vision to provide the best support in the kitchen for home cooks that’s not only incredibly useful, but also super fun.”
Getting organized
According to Constantino, tidying up is the key to making the best dishes.
“Never work in clutter,” he said. “Make sure you think through the flow of work, so that all parts of the meal come out in the sequence you want.
“Don’t be afraid to leverage technology when it makes sense. There are a lot of options out there to make the cooking, recipe discovery, and meal-prep process faster and easier.”