Hello, and welcome to another episode of the podcast. Today, on the podcast, I have an interview with Renato Poliafito. Renato is a James Beard-nominated pastry chef, restaurateur, cookbook author, designer, and entrepreneur living in Brooklyn, NY. After a career in graphic design and advertising, Renato traded in his laptop for an apron. In 2005, he opened the Red Hook flagship location of Baked, kicking off a culinary renaissance in the waterfront neighborhood and leading the wave of the new Brooklyn food movement. After more than a decade, Renato left Baked to get in touch with his roots. In 2019, he opened the doors of Ciao, Gloria in Prospect Heights. Renato was born to Sicilian immigrants in Queens and sees the restaurant as the ultimate expression of his Italian and American dual identities. His fifth cookbook, Dolci! American Baking with an Italian Accent is the book we talk about today. We discuss Renato's memories of his Italian/American heritage, his early love-hate relationship with Italy, favorite Italian and American sweet treats, skill at creating mash-up recipes, the inspiration for Dolci!, and his tips for home bakers who want to achieve delicious and successful baked goods and sweet treats in their kitchen. 

Things We Mention In This Episode

Ciao Gloria and Renato Poliafito

Dolci: American Baking with an Italian Accent

Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat by Samin Nosrat

The Complete Cook’s Country Cookbook