If you’re a nationally-known chef throwing your restaurant’s annual Christmas party — even if that Christmas party happens to fall on Super Bowl Sunday — you’re going to be pretty particular about who does the catering. That’s why we were charmed by this photo that Fascino and Bar Cara chef Ryan DePersio posted on Twitter last weekend.
He chose CulinAriane for his annual “Christmas” party, and held it last Sunday because Super Bowl Sunday is one of the slowest days at Bar Car.
“Ariane’s a good friend,” DePersio told us when we caught up with him by phone yesterday. “I love her food.”
Ariane served up about 12 different hand-passed hors d’oeuvre, including mini-pastrami sandwiches, coconut shrimp, prosciutto and mozzarella beignets, chicken quesadillas and — a favorite among DePersio’s staff — dates wrapped in bacon. About 50 DePersio workers showed up for the bash.
“The dates wrapped in bacon were awesome,” said DePersio.
“I like to keep it local. Everybody lives local. I wanted to do it a friend’s,” DePersio said. “We’re a tight-knit family when it comes to Montclair chefs. “
Tight-knit family? Isn’t there competition, backbiting and cattiness among chefs who compete for the same diners?
“There’s no cattiness,” said DePersio. “Of course there’s competition. But it’s playful competition.”
Sound the antitrust alarm! There’s an aroma here of culinary collusion, broccoli monopoly. Something opposite of unsavory, smelling of seared ahi brewing between these two…
I think I might want to get a job working at Bar Cara. Would my years at Friendly’s speak well on my resume?