Ingredient Insiders: Where Chefs Talk

Lee Schrager is the undisputed king of Miami cuisine. He is the creator and force behind the South Beach Wine & Food Festival (SOBEWFF) and serves as the Senior Vice President of Southern Glazer's Wine and Spirits. He shares his favorite ingredients and go-to staples in his home pantry. You can find all the pantry staple ingredients at The Chefs' Warehouse, a specialty food distributor that ha...

Grana Padano is one of the best-selling PDO cheeses in the world for good reason. This Italian staple delivers a savory and nutty flavor with a unique (grana) texture, and world-class quality. Husband-and-wife chef duo Patrick and Casey Van Voorhis are big users of Grana Padano at their shop Grist Provisions in Dayton, Ohio. They go through more than 40 pounds of Grana Padano per week, and share t...

Chef Jamie Bissonnette, the James Beard award-winning chef and partner of Boston favorites Coppa, an Italian enoteca, Toro, the Barcelona-style tapas bar, and Little Donkey, Cambridge's eclectic neighborhood restaurant, shares his favorite ingredients and go-to staples in his home pantry. You can find all the pantry staple ingredients at The Chefs' Warehouse, a specialty food distributor that has...

Extra virgin olive oil is cultivated in a handful of different countries throughout the Mediterranean, but Italian olive oil reigns as the gem of all. More than just a simple pantry staple, it’s the cornerstone of Italian cooking and at the heart of nearly every Italian dish. Chef Albert DeAngelis of Connecticut’s Z Hospitality Group – Terra, Mediterraneo, Eastend, Sole – explains why Monini’s sup...

Acclaimed Chef Michael White of Lido Restaurant, and its adjacent Champagne Bar at the Four Seasons Hotel at The Surf Club in Miami reveals his favorite ingredients and go-to staples in his home pantry. You can find all the pantry staple ingredients at The Chefs' Warehouse, a specialty food distributor that has been purveying high-quality artisan ingredients to chefs for over 30 years @wherechefss...

When you think about that ingredient list, it's obvious why mayonnaise makes food taste better: it adds fat, salt, and acidity. Mayonnaise, colloquially known as "mayo", is an emulsion of oil, egg and lemon juice and/or vinegar, plus seasonings. Food stylist and writer Jess Damuck, author of "Salad Freak" shares here ode to mayonnaise and the secret ingredient in many of her salad dressings. Mayon...

Chef Brad Rubano of Seaspice Miami reveals his favorite ingredients and go-to staples in his home pantry. You can find all the pantry staple ingredients at The Chefs' Warehouse, a specialty food distributor that has been purveying high-quality artisan ingredients to chefs for over 30 years @wherechefsshop https://www.chefswarehouse.com/ Produced by HayNow Media @haynowmedia http://haynowmedia.com

The popularity of eating octopus has grown in recent years. It a global delicacy consumed by most cultures and considered an important protein source in coastal communities around the world. But preparing octopus is key as it can be tough if not tenderized. Chef Brad Rubano of Seaspice Miami, discusses the modern approach to grilling octopus and why it's a top-seller at restaurants today. MARKFOOD...

Miami-based chef and restauranteur Michael Schwartz reveals his favorite ingredients and go-to staples in his home pantry. You can find all the pantry staple ingredients at The Chefs' Warehouse, a specialty food distributor that has been purveying high-quality artisan ingredients to chefs for over 30 years @wherechefsshop https://www.chefswarehouse.com/ Produced by HayNow Media @haynowmedia http:/...

From orange and grapefruit to lemon and lime, citrus is one of the most popular fruit commodities in the world because of its refreshing flavor and nutritional values. The citrus industry in the United States is intimately tied to Florida, and citrus agriculture plays an integral role in the state’s economy. James Beard award-winning chef and author, Michael Schwartz of The Genuine Hospitality Gro...

Acclaimed chef and restauranteur Daniel Boulud reveals his favorite ingredients and go-to staples in his home pantry. You can find all the pantry staple ingredients at The Chefs' Warehouse, a specialty food distributor that has been purveying high-quality artisan ingredients to chefs for over 30 years @wherechefsshop https://www.chefswarehouse.com/ Produced by HayNow Media @haynowmedia http://hayn...

Pastrami sandwiches are the quintessential dish at traditional Jewish delis, which are few and far between in this day and age. The smoked and cured deli meat is seasoned with a flavorful spice, served in delicate slices. Chef Nicky Liberato has his own take on pastrami at his restaurant, The Borscht Belt, what he calls a "a love letter to Jewish Delicatessen." The celebrity chef behind Netflix's...

A favorite question to ask guests on the program is "what's in your pantry?" It's an insider look into the ingredients and pantry staples that top chefs, acclaimed food writers and more have in their home kitchens. Expect these special bonus clips in between episode releases. In this bonus clip, Ingredient Insiders' hosts John Magazino and Andrea Parkins share all of their essential pantry items....

Scallops are easy to love. The luxurious and delicate seafood dish is versatile in nearly every cultural cuisine where it can be dressed up with different flavors. Among the most well-known scallop dishes is “Sea Scallops in Black Tie,” crafted by acclaimed French chef and restauranter Daniel Boulud. His iconic recipe was made famous at Le Cirque, and was a dish that helped put him on the map as o...

Boxes of dried pasta -- in all shapes, sizes and textures -- are a staple in kitchen pantries around the world. Italian Chef Michele Casadei Massari of New York City’s Lucciola boils down the differences between dried pasta and fresh pasta. Both are worthy of a restaurant-quality meal -- the one you choose depends on the pasta sauce you pair it with. Felicetti Pasta has a strong reputation for a h...

Pepperoni is among the most popular pizza toppings in America. The spicy sausage made from cured pork and beef is seasoned with paprika or other chili pepper. In recent years, cupping pepperoni has become a fan favorite, especially on social media. Anthony Falco, author of "Pizza Czar," is an international pizza consultant who spent nearly a decade firing up pizza at Roberta's, the Brooklyn establ...

Maple syrup is made from the sap of sugar maple trees found primarily in North America. It is used to sweeten many dishes, from pancakes and waffles to bacon and salmon. Boston-based restauranteur and award-winning chef Jamie Bissonnette of Toro, Coppa and Little Donkey shares the creative ways his restaurants are cooking with maple syrup, and how growing up as a vegan inspired his love for cookin...

Up until 20 years ago, caviar was a wild and highly prized delicacy from the beluga, sevruga or osetra species of sturgeon. But in recent years, caviar is sustainably farmed, resulting in a high-quality delicacy that has increased in demand, allowed it to be more approachable and accessible, and has provided surprising nutritional benefits. Acclaimed chef Michael White, known for his luxurious pas...

Everything is better with butter, but is there a butter that stands out above the rest? Answer: Irish Butter. Irish butter is silky, creamy and just the right balance of salty and sweet with a distinct yellow hue from primarily grass-fed cows. Award-winning food writer and editor Colman Andrews, author of “The Country Cooking of Ireland,” shares his wisdom about how the geography of Ireland makes...

Fried chicken is a global fanfare. The crispy, savory dish is enjoyed around the world, and nearly every country has a different spin on how to prepare it. Few know more about fried chicken than Lee Schrager, the creator and force behind the South Beach Wine & Food Festival (SOBEWFF), and author of Fried & True, a cookbook with the best recipes of fried chicken across the U.S. When cooking...

Feta is having a moment thanks to a TikTok feta pasta recipe. But the soft, salty and briny block of cheese has been around for centuries, and nearly every Greek meal incorporates it in some manner. Charles Bililies is the founder and CEO of Souvla, a group of fast-fine Greek restaurants inspired by the casual souvlaki joints found throughout Greece. The Greek-American comes from a family traditio...

Kalamata olives are a classic Mediterranean flavor that are commonly served as table olives, in a Greek-style salad or featured in tapenades that can be spread on warm pita bread. Chef Einat Admony is the ultimate balaboosta ("perfect housewife" in Yiddish) behind the famed fried olives with labne dish at her Middle Eastern restaurant Balaboosta in New York, and the beloved falafel chain, Taim. Sh...

​Prosciutto is the Italian word for ham. Each paper-thin slice boasts a sweet and salty flavor, thanks to a traditional curing process that has been around since ancient Roman times. Few in the U.S. know more about it than Eataly's Tess McNamara, head of salumi and formaggi, who goes into great detail about the ingredients and process for curing the meat. She shares Eataly's variety of prosciutti...

Brown sugar is an ingredient with widespread use contributing a dark sweetness to both baked goods -- and savory dishes for sweet sauces and glazes. Its distinctive brown color due to the presence of molasses adds depth in flavor -- and has been a familiar taste since it originated during the sugar trade in the 1490s. Professional pastry chef Auzerais Bellamy of Blondery, a female and minority own...

Truffles are a rare and prized ingredient. They can be described as having a powerful aroma, euphoric smell and intoxicating flavor. This season in particular, truffle prices are skyrocketing. Rowan Jacobsen, author of "Truffle Hound: On the Trail of the World's Most Seductive Scent, with Dreamers, Schemers, and Some Extraordinary Dogs" shares his quest to uncover the culinary delicacy. Sabatino T...