A particular vision for Cinghiale now on path

These have certainly been a hectic but gratifying last few weeks. Cindy has spent the last five years preparing Julian Marucci to be a Chef and we always expected that he would become the Executive Chef at one of our restaurants. He demonstrated so much skill and savvy as Cindy's Sous Chef at Charleston.

Julian came to us last spring and asked to be a part of the project that is now Cinghiale. He wanted to explore Italian cooking - it's only natural as his Dad's family is from Puglia. His strength was evident immediately after opening and he became the natural choice for Executive Chef when the time came to make a change. I have a very particular vision for Cinghiale. The menu needs to be on target and the kitchen operating in a crisp fashion in order to realize it.

Now it's my turn to share knowledge gained through research and experience with Julian in order to fully understand the aesthetic that I'm after. Working with Julian to find his personal style, the palate he has, it's just a matter of learning the idiom. Julian is just so excited and focused. He knows this is what he's meant to do. What he's born to do. Like me he started on this path at 14.

We're having a great time nailing execution on classic regional dishes and timing with the brigade. Soon he should be happy enough with individual performance to stop coaching minutiae every moment and just direct his crew. That pushes me back into the dining room again consistently - although I've not minded dispensing menu and wine advice from the kitchen via messenger.

New dishes to look for include a brilliant Braised Local Rabbit with Spaetzle, Pancetta, Sage and Garlic (fabulous with one of those big, dry, exotic Gewurztraminers from Alto Adige); the Carpaccio is a Piemonte-inspired preparation with Hazelnuts, Rucola and a Robiola Crostini. The beef we are getting is fabulous beef raised in the Kobe style at Snake River Farms in Wyoming - it makes decadent Carpaccio and grills beautifully in a Tuscan-style preparation with Porcini Mostarda and Rosemary-Garlic Oil. We have also gotten a very consistent source for Orata (the French call it Dourade, we call it Gilt-head Sea Bream) that is sweet-fleshed and whose skin gets nicely crisp. I've had people go bananas for the Risotto Milanese with Saffron and Veal Marrow that we've been serving just the last few days. Venison Osso Bucco is in the offing as well.

The Enoteca menu has been gaining new dishes as well: more modestly-priced comfort and casual food. Excellent sandwiches with meats from the Salumeria, Lasagna Marche style with Veal and Parmigiano Froth, and this week a classic: Suppli al Telefono - Arborio rice cooked as risotto that's fried with Buffalo Mozzarella inside (I know that doesn’t sound light but it's so good).