Piatto - Regional Italian Cuisine

My latest philosophy on eating can be summed up in three words: Eat real food!

During my 20 years as a chef I have come to the conclusion that we have lost the ability—or perhaps simply the desire—to seek out and consume real food. I have witnessed an industry that has transformed itself from using real ingredients (raw, unprocessed foods) to one relying largely on processed/manufactured food items that many restaurants simply put in the deep fryer or microwave before reaching your table. Even fresh produce can be purchased pre cut and ready to use with a shelf life of up to a couple of weeks — I can tell you from experience that my fresh cut vegetables will not keep for more than a day or two before deteriorating.

After several recent visits to Europe, I’ve come to realize one of the greatest differences in our cultures is that they eat real food and often times we do not. Most Europeans still shop the markets for fresh ingredients several times a week and even the grocery stores offer a huge selection of fine comestibles. I’ve looked for the processed foods we have come to rely upon (which take up the entire center of grocery stores in America) and could not find very much of it.

Unfortunately, eating well in America costs 1½ to 2 times as much as not. I figure we can pay this cost up front while maintaining a healthy diet of fresh foods or we can pay it to the medical business at the end to fix the problems as a result of not eating well. Some good illustrations of where we went wrong with food in America can be found in two books by Marion Nestle: Food Politics and What To Eat.

At Piatto, our attempt is to merely imitate the European model by shopping for the freshest foods available. Our motto “fresh seasonal ingredients, combined sensibly & prepared properly” is a philosophy we have been using for the last ten years and will continue into the future. It’s nice to see so many of you at the local farmers’ markets, roadside stands and C.S.A.s also procuring fresh, local ingredients.

Our goal is to serve food that tastes great, is healthfully prepared, supports the local agricultural economy and leaves you feeling refreshed and energized after dining. Thanks for giving us this opportunity.

Ross & Staff