From Pizza Chef to Executive Chef: The Culinary Journey of Antonio De Crecchio
DUBAI: Antonio De Crecchio kicked off his culinary career in 2006 as a pizza chef in Naples, Italy, at the tender age of 14.
“I’ve always had a passion for food and cooking, but that’s when I truly fell in love with the art of cooking,” he shares with Arab News. “My first boss was tough on me, but it taught me valuable lessons in handling the job and pushing myself to excel.”
He honed his skills as a pizza chef at various Rossopomodoro outlets across the UK, including London, Birmingham, and Newcastle, before returning to Italy to lead the team at Rossopomodoro in Torino and Milano. In 2019, he made the move to the UAE, taking on the role of pizza chef at Antica Pizzeria da Michele in Dubai. Currently, he serves as the executive chef of Amò at Via Toledo in Dubai’s Address Beach Resort.
“Working here has been an emotional journey for me,” he reveals. “After spending many years in casual dining, opening a fine dining establishment feels like reaching a new level of achievement.”
Here, De Crecchio—fondly known as Chef Toto—shares insights on cooking tips for novice chefs, his love for Italian cuisine, and the most challenging dish he has encountered.
Top Tips for Amateur Chefs
Invest in a Bimby. It’s a fantastic tool for creating pizza dough that rivals restaurant quality. Not only does it save time, but it also allows you to focus on other aspects of cooking. Crafting the perfect dough demands experience, so having the right equipment can make a significant difference.
Critiquing Food and Common Issues
“Do you find yourself critiquing food when dining out?”
“Yes, quite often,” Chef Toto admits.
“One common issue I notice, particularly with Italian cuisine, is that the pasta isn’t always cooked al dente as it should be. This poses a challenge for me as I have a strong affinity for the traditional Italian dishes my grandmother used to prepare.”
Favorite Cuisine and Dish
“My favorite cuisine is Italian, especially pasta. It evokes memories of my homeland and cherished moments,” Chef Toto shares.
“When it comes to customer requests, the ones that annoy me the most are when they ask for pasta with chicken and pizza with pineapple.”
“As for my favorite dish to prepare, it would have to be pasta. It reminds me of Sundays back home when my mom would cook it for our family gatherings.”
The Most Challenging Dish
“The most difficult dish for me to master is our egg dish. It involves cooking at a precise low temperature to maintain a soft interior, and achieving the right texture for the accompanying foam is crucial. Finding the perfect balance is essential for preserving the dish’s identity.”
Chef Antonio’s Gnocchi with Duck Ragu Recipe
Ingredients:
1kg potatoes; 100g parmesan cheese; 15g salt; 1 egg; 375g all-purpose flour; 1kg duck legs; 250g carrots, chopped; 250g white onion, chopped; 250g celery, chopped
Instructions:
For the duck ragu:
1. Heat a pot on the stove until it reaches smoking point. Add blended oil.
2. Season the skin side of the duck legs with salt. Sear them until the outer surface is scorched, then transfer to a deep tray, cover with their fat, and bake in the oven at 150°C for two hours.
3. In the same pot used for searing, add celery, white onion, and carrots to the duck fat and deglaze with approximately 4 liters of chicken stock.
4. Bring the stock to a boil, then slowly add each leg to the boiling stock.
5. Transfer the stock and duck legs to a large oven dish and bake at 160°C for two hours.
6. Remove the dish from the oven, extract the duck meat from the legs, and set aside.
7. Reduce the remaining liquid in a pot for one hour.
8. Cool the reduction, then mix with the duck meat to create the duck ragu.
For the gnocchi:
1. Steam the potatoes until tender, then mash.
2. Combine mashed potatoes with grated parmesan cheese, salt, egg, and flour to form a dough.
3. Shape the dough into ropes and cut into small pieces for gnocchi.
4. Boil salted water in a pot, then cook the gnocchi until they float. Remove and set aside.
5. Toast cooked gnocchi with butter and extra parmesan cheese in a pan until lightly browned.
6. Plate the gnocchi and top with the prepared duck ragu.