EXECUTIVE CHEF ROBERTO CARNERO, SAMBA, MONTCLAIR
Put Samba, the Brazilian restaurant in Montclair, on your dance card as the new executive chef, Roberto Carnero, has revved up the menu with new authentic home-style Brazilian specialties that had us bouncing with joy. Carnero is a 2004 graduate of NYC’s French Culinary Institute (now the International Culinary Center) where, he says, "I studied under the grandfathers—Jacques Torres and André Soltner!" Prior to Samba, he was chef de cuisine at Costanera, Montclair’s popular Peruvian restaurant. What a joy it was to sample some of his innovative dishes at a recent press dinner. They were delightfully different with distinct flavors and tastes.
Little fried pastries filled with either chicken, cheese, beef, yucca with dried beef and butternut squash, and yucca with cod fish, all pleased and are great starters to nibble on, while having a glass of wine and pursuing the menu.
We oohed and ahhed when a colorful, whole acorn squash was placed on the table. It was filled with large shrimp in a creamy sauce made from its shell; a stunning and satisfying presentation. Coarse toasted farofa (a yuca flour that looks like a grain) was studded with almonds and cranberries, and created texture for a roasted beet surrounded by a beet sauce. While the farofa with the beet was coarse, a skirt steak was presented with a fine smooth farofa, perfect for mopping up the juices from the steak. Roasted cauliflower accompanied this dish. A cast-iron frying pan held a swordfish medallion, which was encircled by cherry tomatoes, zucchini and a passion fruit sauce. Hungry yet? And, of course, we had sides of black beans and rice.
Desserts were an I-want-to-try-that-again experience. Flourless yuca and coconut cake with dulce de leche and passion fruit sauce; coconut pudding with prune sauce; and my favorite, that I was so sorry that I had to share, passion fruit mousse.
This 32-seat restaurant, which has been open for four years, is adorable. Walls are decorated with copper pots, silver antiques, mirrors, and distressed frames. Menus are presented on wooden planks and cloth napkins, mismatched silverware, and candles adorn the tables. A lively ambiance warms the space. Samba is open for lunch and dinner Monday through Saturday.
Owner Ilson Goncalves, a native of Brazil, says of chef Carnero: "Roberto is a huge talent. I’m so happy he joined the team. Together we’re finding new ways to use the traditional ingredients we seek out in the area’s specialty markets.”
We say, “Muito obrigada.” thank you very much, chef Carnero for a memorable meal. We will be back.
Acorn squash was placed on the table filled with large shrimp in a creamy sauce.
Photo courtesy of Lowell Saferstein
Samba
7 Park Street
Montclair
973-744-6764
BYO.
DOMENIC ABITINO
Domenic Abitino, originally from Naples, Italy, and previously owner of Abitino’s Ristorante, in Central Florida is the executive chef of 28 East Enoteca, 28 E Front St, Keyport (732-497-0900); full bar.
JOHN CANAVARI
John Canavari is the chef/owner of 900 Degree Pizza, a Neapolitan pizza restaurant that has opened at 626 Main Road (Rt 202), Towaco (973-335-2555); BYO.
JULIE FARIAS NAMED EXECUTIVE CHEF
Host/owners Stephen and Stephanie Brandman have announced that Julie Farias, a CIA grad, is the executive chef at Brasserie Brandman, 103 Spring Valley Road, Park Ridge (201-746-9990). Some of the restaurants that Farias has previously worke include Daniel, Café Boulud, DB Bistro Moderne and Le Bernardin.
GARY FISCH NAMED RETAILER OF THE YEAR
Congratulations to Gary Fisch, Founder/Owner of Gary’s Wine & Marketplace for being named 2014 "Retailer of the Year” by Market Watch, the nation’s leading beverage-alcohol industry publication. Fisch also will be opening his fourth store in mid-November in Hillsborough. The initial store will be a "pop-up" temporary store for holiday shopping at Nelson’s Corner Shopping Center, Route 206 and Amwell Road while the larger (9,000 sq. ft) permanent "Marketplace" location is built out in anticipation of a March 2015 launch.
CHEF PETER MORRIS WINS COMPETITION
Congratulations to chef Peter Morris of Langosta Lounge in Asbury Park, who recently won the Tri-State Food Expo’s Culinary Competition in Secaucus by beating out two other talented, regional chefs. Only 30 minutes prior to the competition, each chef, representing their state, was informed that salmon would be the main protein. They were then allotted 45 minutes to create an appetizer and main entrée using salmon. The participants were judged on organization, technique and taste. Chef Morris’ winning dishes were an appetizer of zucchini-wrapped salmon in a rosemary, wood-smoked tomato emulsion, followed by a main entrée: pan-seared salmon with black, garlic-braised salsify with verjus quinoa arugula salad drizzled with roast Concord grape beurre blanc. The two other competing chefs were: Connecticut contestant chef Jeffrey Lizotte of ON20, who was named “2013 Best New Chef” by Connecticut Magazine and New York’s chef Bill Dorrler an executive chef within Altamarea Group, leading the kitchen organization at Osteria Morini in Bernardsville.
SHANE SPIGNER
Shane Spigner, recently a line cook at Colicchio & Sons in NYC and line cook at the Peacock Inn (Princeton), is now the new sous chef at the Peacock Inn, 20 Bayard Lane, Princeton (609-924-1707). Executive chef Manuel Perez said: “The Peacock Inn enthusiastically welcomes Shane Spigner back to the kitchen team as sous chef. Shane has always displayed a true passion for food, shows leadership and the ability to assist in moving our culinary goals forward.”
DENNIS VIERA
Denis Viera is the executive chef at Burrini’s Olde World Market, Randolph. He previously worked at Minerals Resorts, Skylands of Randolph and Perona Farms.
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Do you know of any chefs who have changed jobs? If so, e-mail the details to [email protected]. Be sure to include the chef’s name, former restaurant affiliation, where they are working now, or what they are doing in the interim.