On Set With: Nick Curtola at i Cavallini

“I care about taking care of people. I think that's like the biggest thing.” That’s how chef Nick Curtola sums up the core of running a restaurant, speaking to a live audience at i Cavallini in Brooklyn during the first-ever live recording of Chef’s Table Talks. Curtola, chef-owner of i Cavallini and the Four Horsemen, has spent over a decade building restaurants that people want to come to, work at, and learn from. In conversation with David Gelb, he walks through the practical psychology behind a hyper-seasonal menu, retaining talent in a brutal industry, and why he lets his farmers and purveyors decide what he cooks.

Letting Ingredients Lead the Menu

Curtola’s approach to menu creation is almost entirely reactive. “I let a lot of times, most of the times, let our purveyors dictate what goes on the menu,” he says. Instead of deciding he wants salmon or striped bass in December, he flips the question: “What are you guys really excited about? Bring that to me.” This puts pressure on the supplier to stand behind the ingredient, which in turn raises the quality of what arrives in the kitchen. It also forces Curtola to stay flexible and creative, working with what is truly at its peak rather than forcing a dish that belongs to another season.