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America's Best New Chefs
2004

Scott Conant

Scarpetta
355 West 14th St.
New York, New York
212-691-0555

Scarpetta Miami
4441 Collins Ave., Fontainebleau Resort
Miami Beach, Florida
877-326-7412

13 Recipes by Scott Conant

Where are they now?

In 2005, Conant opened Alto—named for the Alto Adige region of Italy, which inspired the menu—and published his first cookbook, Scott Conant’s New Italian Cooking. In 2007, he left both L’Impero and Alto to be a consulting chef at Tutto Il Giorno, in Sag Harbor on Long Island’s South Fork, and released a line of cookware for the Home Shopping Network. In 2008, he published his second cookbook, Bold Italian, and launched Scarpetta in New York City and Miami.

Won Best New Chef at: L’Impero; New York City


2004 Best New Chef Award Profile
Restaurant at the time of award
L’Impero
45 Tudor City Pl.
New York, New York
212-599-5045

Why Because he has such a good time honoring the full spectrum of Italian cuisine, whether it's rustic homemade pastas or a refined truffle-infused mushroom fricassee.

Born Waterbury, CT, 1971.

Education The Culinary Institute of America, Hyde Park, NY.

Experience Bayerischer Hof, Germany; Barolo, San Domenico, Chianti and City Eatery, New York City.

Why he became a chef "At my vocational high school, the plumbing class was full. So I took cooking and got really into it; at 15, I was carrying my Escoffier book in my backpack."

On starting his career "When I was working at San Domenico, I slept on their floor every weekend because it was too late to get back to Hyde Park. It was so pathetic."

Most memorable meal "When I was 22, I took a friend to the old Le Cirque for her birthday. The captain brought over Chuck Mangione, who was eating there, to play 'Happy Birthday' on his trumpet. And it was Le Cirque!"

Second-most-memorable meal "A dinner I had by myself in Portonovo in Marche, Italy; I ate sea urchin on the beach with candles all around."

Most humbling moment "I've had so many; they usually involve an Italian standing over me saying 'You stupid American.'"

What keeps him going Coffee. "I drink about 15 cups a day. I make really good espresso."


Featured Best New Chef Recipe

Fresh Pasta with Spicy Corn and Asparagus

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