The name Chris Cosentino should be familiar. This superstar chef has brought much acclaim to the Bay Area and beyond, riding the forefront of sustainability with his whole animal butchery approach.
Cosentino authored the James Beard Award-nominated cookbook, Offal Good: Cooking from the Heart with Guts, and won Bravo’s Top Chef Masters. He is also an avid cyclist, on the advisory board of Chefs Cycle, an annual cycling event that raises funds for No Kid Hungry. Most recently, Cosentino worked with Nick’s Cove in Marshall to help revamp the menu.
Amber Turpin: How did you get into this work?
Chris Cosentino: Growing up in Rhode Island, I was always interested in what was happening in the kitchen … from traditional New England foods or classic Italian dishes, I was always there. I worked at IHOP as my first job, washing dishes, and got tricked into doing the line cook’s prep because I was interested in what they were doing. Later, I would help my friends commercial fish and lobster, while also working at the local restaurants picking up extra work.
This led to culinary school, then on to working in Washington, DC for Mark Miller at the Red Sage. This was the start of a real culinary education and mentorship that catapulted me to many restaurants, experiences that I built upon over the years. I moved to San Francisco in 1996, and the rest is history.
Did you ever have an “aha” moment with a certain beverage? If so, tell us about it.
One of the things that was very difficult for me is that when I quit drinking I really missed the flavors of a great IPA and also the convivial moment of sharing a drink with friends. Having my first Athletic Brewing NA beer was a game changer … it allowed me to be in a place and not feel like a child; my social aspect of having a beverage with friends changed that day.
What is your favorite thing to drink at home?
I really keep it simple. I drink Athletic Brewing NA beers and Lyres NA spirits, either with dinner or hanging out in the backyard cooking with friends.
Where do you like to go out for a drink?
I stopped going out for drinks over six years ago when I quit drinking. It’s a bummer because most of the places at that time didn’t have options other than sugary drinks or sodas. It made me feel uncomfortable and like a kid at the kids’ table.
If you were stuck on a desert island, what would you want to be drinking (besides fresh water)?
I would bring a bunch of Athletic Brewing NA beers with great flavor and carbohydrates to help me survive the desert island with deliciousness.
More at chefchriscosentino.com.
