Battle of the Chefs II, A Culinary Contest of Italian Cuisine

For the second consecutive year, the long-awaited “Battle of the Chefs” took place in the heart of North Beach neighborhood in San Francisco, the center of Italian culinary heritage.

The San Francisco Italian Athletic Club was the host of this one-of-a-kind night, in collaboration with the Italian Cultural Institute, represented by Director Paolo Barlera, FIERI, Viola Buitoni and D.I.V.E.

Master of Ceremonies Nick Figone, a member of both the San Francisco Italian Athletic Club and President of FIERI, guided the excited attendees and introduced the three special guests of the night: Executive Chefs Carlo Cavallo of Sonoma Meritage Martini Oyster Bar & Grille in Sonoma, Rutilio Duran of C’era una Volta in Alameda, and Andrea Giuliani of Piazza d’Angelo in Mill Valley.

The friendly Battaglia dei Cuochi is a real food competition between three of the best Italian chefs around the Bay Area, each one presenting a special pasta dish, inspired by their own regional cuisine, prepared with fresh traditional ingredients, and paired with fine wines imported from Italy.

Chef Andrea Giuliani of Piazza D’Angelo in Mill Valley, wows La Regina della Communità Italiana, Romana Bracco with his award-winning culinary creation. Photo Credit Nickolas Marinelli

The enjoyable Monday evening started at 6:30 p.m. with a mingle-and-sparkle aperitivo at the Park View Room overlooking Washington Square Park. Guests enjoyed focaccia, prosciutto, and other antipasti with a glass of prosecco, courtesy of Vinity Wine Company. Also available for sampling was a delicious selection of olive oils imported from Tuscany, Umbria, and Sicily, provided courtesy of Casa de Case.

Everyone then moved to SFIAC’s grand ballroom on the first, which was elegantly set up for the special occasion. The menu was announced, and Primo Giro began with a salad, followed by the delights and libations presented by the first chef: paccheri pasta in ossobuco sauce, with saffron cheese (from Sicily). The dish was prepared by Veneto native, Chef Andrea Giuliani, and was paired with Valle dell’Acate, Nero D’Avola Il Moro, 2009 Sicilia.

The mouth-watering flavors of the first course delighted the participants, while Master of Ceremonies Nick Figone guided them into the next station. The Secondo Giro was the occasion for a delectable taste of Tuscany with Chef Rutilio (Rudy) Duran, who for more than ten years has bought the traditions and sensibilities of its beloved region to the Bay Area, using natural and organic ingredients to create artful and tasty dishes.

Chef Rudy Duran of C’era Una Volta in Alameda, dishes up his offering for the Battle of the Chefs II. Photo Credit: Nickolas Marinelli

For his second appearance at the Battle of Chefs, Chef Duran prepared fish lasagna with shrimp and sole fillet pesto, garnished with mozzarelline and cherry tomatoes on top, paired with a 2009 Badia di Morrona, Toscana Rosso Taneto.

Rudy understands that food is not simply sustenance, but the medium through which one observes the seasons with family, friends and community.

After indulging in the flavors of the Tirreno Sea, it was time for the Terzo Giro, and an opportunity to taste the exclusive cuisine of renowned Chef Carlo Cavallo, a Verona native, but with great experience at Giorgio Armani’s Restaurants in Beverly Hills, Boston, and Costa Mesa, where he developed an ardent following from the Hollywood celebrities that frequently dined there.

At Armani, Cavallo received excellent reviews and was honored as the “Best New Chef of the Year” in Los Angeles Magazine.

Chef Carlo Cavallo of Meritage Martini Oyster Bar & Grille in Sonoma, serves his entry in the Battle of the Chefs II to Giuseppe and Letizia Timpano of Redwood City. Photo Credit: Nickolas Marinelli.

His special dish for the night was a flavorful foie gras tortelloni with black truffle sauce, paired with a unique 2009 Valpolicella Classico Ripasso Acinatico, from the Veneto winery S. Accordini.

In November 1999, Carlo Cavallo opened “Meritage Martini Oyster Bar & Grille” in Sonoma, which is considered one of the wine country best restaurants. For Cavallo, Meritage offers the perfect venue to blend his European heritage with California’s wine country sophistication.

As guests voted for the best chef by placing ping pong balls into the color-coded ballot boxes, their satisfied palates were once again teased with an array of sweets. A delicious raspberry Pannacotta was served at table, prepared by Chef Christie Perego, pastry chef of Vanilla Moon, which serves the finest baked goods. Also served were six tantalizing and unusual flavors of gelato, provided by La Copa Loca: Blackberry Cabernet, Chocolate Hazelnut, Jasmine, Lemon Mint, Rice and Cinammon, and Sicilian Pistachio.

Andrea Giuliani is awarded with the Battle of Chefs trophy

Although all three Chefs deserved to win, the favorite was Andrea Giuliani with his fantastic blend of Northern and Southern flavors. Interviewed by L’Italo-Americano reporter after receiving the trophy from Viola Buitoni, Giuliani revealed his secret: “I cooked the paccheri pasta, imported from Italy, in water and wine, to give it a unique taste.”

In fact, even if Andrea is a long way from his home in Bassano del Grappa in Veneto, he still brings his love for simple ingredients and Mediterranean-style cooking into every dish he serves.

“I’ve been cooking for 25 years already, and I keep saying that I can always improve myself,” he claimed. “My goal is to continue Piazza D’Angelo’s legacy as Mill Valley’s most beloved kitchen, while working to elevate the cuisine to an even higher standard. Marin County offers very good farms from which we select our products, as we put emphasis on fresh, sustainable meats and ingredients from local suppliers, as well as fine imported artisan products from Italy.”

Andrea started cooking with his family just for fun when he was very young. Eventually, he discovered that cooking was his great passion, and worked throughout northern Italy in various restaurants including Gran Baita, Club Moreno, Da Omar, and many others. Even though he became Chef at renowned Piazza d’Angelo less than one year ago, he moved to the States with his wife many years ago. Looking for a new challenge, they moved to the Bay Area in 2005, where he learned how to speak English while working in the Peninsula’s finest restaurants, including Piatti in Santa Clara.

As owner Domenico Petrone tell us, Piazza d’Angelo Ristorante (who derives the name from its first Chef) was opened in 1981, and has been the nucleus of Mill Valley’s dining scene for over thirty-four years, always serving the best traditional and modern Italian food.

Once again Italian quality food successfully represented in San Francisco the culture of Italy at its best. The second edition of the Battle of Chefs was so successful, a number of those in attendance were already thinking about what will be offered next year.

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