Michael Romano

In 2018, Food & Wine named this recipe one of our 40 best: No one will contest that Union Square Cafe was one of the defining restaurants of the early '90s. Critics and diners were delighted by Danny Meyer's devout attention to hospitality and couldn't get enough of chef Michael Romano's remarkable greenmarket-centric American-Italian food. Certain dishes defined the restaurant, including Romano's seared salmon, which was one of the most popular items on the menu and one of the best recipes we ever published. The myriad of vegetables in the recipe—corn, spinach, shiitakes, and tomato—sing of late summer. This recipe serves three to four as a main course and can easily be doubled.

Inspired by a recipe from the 1993 Lee Bailey's Corn cookbook, Michael Romano of Manhattan's Union Square Café uses pureed corn to give this kernel-studded pudding a fresh flavor and a lovely creamy texture.Plus: More Vegetable Recipes and Tips

This is a perfect party dish because it’s so easy to assemble, and you can marinate and skewer the shrimp ahead of time. Slideshow: Kebab Recipes 

This speedy lamb dish offers lots of flavor in a matter of minutes. If time permits, try using fresh globe artichoke hearts or baby artichokes instead of frozen ones. More Amazing Lamb Recipes

Michael Romano served this boldly flavored steak as the centerpiece of his romantic menu because he believes it matches his down-to-earth personality. Delicious, Quick Side Dishes Amazing Steak Recipes

This dish is actually the base recipe for a trilogy of classic Roman pastas. Add some beaten egg and Pecorino cheese to the steaming hot pasta and pancetta and you have alla carbonara. Add fresh chiles, white wine and tomatoes and you have all'amatriciana. For this recipe, use the rendered fat from the pancetta and resist the temptation to add chopped parsley to the finished dish for color; it just confuses the flavors. Fast Weekday Pastas

Look for small, young, tender organic fennel bulbs. Delicious, Quick Side Dishes Thanksgiving Gratins

Michael Romano's brownies, seductively swirled with a cream cheese batter, prove why chocolate is a Valentine's Day staple. Beautiful Desserts

Plus: More Vegetable Recipes and Tips 

Look for small, young, tender organic fennel bulbs. Delicious, Quick Side Dishes Thanksgiving Gratins

Michael Romano's brownies, seductively swirled with a cream cheese batter, prove why chocolate is a Valentine's Day staple. Beautiful Desserts

Plus: More Vegetable Recipes and Tips 

At Union Square Cafe, executive chef Michael Romano tops homemade frascatelli, a dense spaetzle-like pasta, with a combination of pancetta, cheese and cream. More Fast Pasta Recipes