Ingredient Insiders: Where Chefs Talk

With its briny, umami-rich flavor and dramatic black-blue hue, squid ink, aka cuttlefish ink, delivers a lot of excitement for one ingredient. Famously used in Japanese (ramen), Spanish (arròs negre), and Italian (spaghetti al nero di seppia) cooking, today, it’s in the spotlight inspiring an array of innovative dishes. Find out what makes this versatile and timeless ingredient so beloved. Joining us are Chef Ignacio Mattos (owner of the Michelin-star Estela, Altro Paradiso, Lodi) and Ignacio Rodrigues from Nortindal, producers of premium cuttlefish ink from Spain.

Follow @ignaciomattos @estelanyc @altroparadiso @lodinyc @cornerbarnyc @nortindal_ @wherechefesshop @ingredientinsiders

In partnership with 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/

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New York City Chef James Kent of Crown Shy, Saga and Overstory, shares the top ingredients in his at-home kitchen 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

If there ever was an ingredient that played hard to get, it is the morel. Yet this elusive mushroom, available only for a short time in spring, is highly desirable among chefs who value their deliciously forest-like, nutty taste and meaty texture with honeycomb patterns that soak up the flavors of sautés and sauces. Find out what makes this forage-to-table ingredient so special. Joining us are Chef James Kent, owner of Saga, Overstory and Crown Shy, and Johnny Anderson, founder of Foods in Season, a second-generation mushroom forager.

Follow @chefjameskent @saga_nyc @CrownShynyc @overstory @foodsinseason @wherechefesshop @ingredientinsiders

In partnership with 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 https://haynowmedia.com/

Award-winning chef Michelle Bernstein is a fixture in Miami's culinary scene, the name behind restaurant favorites like Café La Trova and Michy's, and she has the kitchen pantry of dreams. She shares how she built a floor dedicated to her favorite at-home ingredients, from anchovies to Calabrian Chiles.

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

If you have ever been to Spain, you know that jamón is a beloved national treasure enjoyed in tapas bars and seen hanging from the ceilings of restaurants and markets. This is a food with a rich history made by following age-old traditions.

Find out what makes the popular serrano and Ibérico, considered the most exclusive ham in the world, so exemplary. Joining us is Chef Michelle Bernstein, a James Beard Foundation Award-winner known for infusing Latin flavors into her dishes and currently juggling four Miami restaurants, and Maria Castro of Cinco Jotas, producers of the most exclusive Ibérico jamón in the world.

Follow @chefmichy @cafelatrovamiami @mbcmiami @sweetlibertymia @lacanitamiami @cincojotas @wherechefesshop @ingredientinsiders

In partnership with 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 https://haynowmedia.com/

Eataly's Tess McNamara, head of salumi and formaggi, shares the mouthwatering ingredients found in her kitchen pantry at home with partner Chef Hillary Sterling of the critically acclaimed Ci Siamo restaurant in New York City.

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

Balsamic vinegar is a ubiquitous ingredient in restaurant kitchens and food markets around the world. But choosing the right balsamic vinegar can be overwhelming as there are dozens of varieties, each one coming from a different producer, bearing a different label and different bottle shape. Acclaimed Chef Marc Forgione of the iconic wood-fired destination Peasant, the eponymous Restaurant Marc Forgione, and the recently opened One Fifth, fell in love in balsamic vinegar at a young age and shares how, like a fine wine, the longer a balsamic vinegar is aged, the more deep and complex its flavors will be. He also opens up about his culinary career and the legacy of his father, Larry Forgione (known as “The Godfather” of American Cuisine).
Sparrow Lane Vinegars is dedicated to producing premium, handcrafted vinegars from California's Napa Valley. Sparrow Lane's April Mesa and Walter Nicolau reveal the humble beginnings of the label and explain how the vinegars are carefully crafted.

Follow @MarcForgione @restaurant_marc_forgione @peasantnyc @onefifthnycc @sparrowlanevinegar @vinegarchef @wherechefesshop @ingredientinsiders

In partnership with 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

When New York City Chef Melissa Rodriguez is not in one of her three restaurant kitchens (Mel's Pizzeria, Al Coro and Discolo), she's at home cooking with her chef husband, Garett McMahan. She shares the top ingredients stocked in her home kitchen pantry from olive oils to chili crisps.

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

From fresh to dried, herbs are a fantastic way to add flavor and color to any sort of dish or drink, whether sweet or savory, without adding fat, salt or sugars. To name a few favorites: basil, parsley, oregano, dill, chives, mint, rosemary, thyme, sage, tarragon... the list goes on. Chef Melissa Rodriguez is taking over a corner of Manhattan's Chelsea neighborhood with three hot spots: Mel's Pizzeria, Al Coro and Discolo, a restaurant and bar combo. She shares the secrets to the influence of herbs in her cooking. KLP Specialities grows, harvests and distributes some of the finest herbs on the planet from their Colombian farms and farm partners worldwide. John MacPherson and Kathy Powell weigh in on how herbs have become such a staple in cooking since the 1990s.

Follow @meljrodriguez @alcoro.nyc @mels_nyc @wherechefesshop @ingredientinsiders

In partnership with 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

Miami-based pastry chef Antonio Bachour of Bachour Bakery has a kitchen pantry stocked with sweet ingredients at home. He shares his favorite products from sugar to flour.

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