Three Dishes with Massimo DeFrancesca

This new column by Anjali Kumar invites you on an adventure to great restaurants around the world to meet the amazing chefs, mixologists, restaurateurs and sommeliers behind them and the foods that inspired their work today. This week, she sits down with Chef Massimo DeFrancesca of NIOS Restaurant to find out which dishes shaped his cooking style and outlook today.

As diverse and vibrant as New York City itself, Canadian-born chef Massimo De Francesca brings an individualistic approach to international cuisine at NIOS Restaurant, adjacent to Kimpton's The Muse New York. Blending influences from kitchens around the world, from Italy to the Caribbean, De Francesca celebrates fresh, seasonal ingredients in a menu inspired by global flavors and culinary traditions.

Massimo graduated from the Culinary Arts (Italian) Program at George Brown College in Toronto, where he spent part of his time on Italy's Adriatic Coast working with Michelin-starred chef Vincenzo Cammerucci at Lido Hotel. When Massimo moved back to Toronto, he was fortunate to work under the tutelage of world-class French chef Jean Pierre Challet for several years before taking off to the sunny Caribbean where he worked at resorts and privately owned restaurants. Upon moving to the United States, Massimo joined the Kimpton Restaurants team as executive chef of Hotel Palomar's Domaso Trattoria Moderna in Arlington, VA.

De Francesca has been excited to share his passion with the "Big Apple" ever since his visit in 2000, when he cooked at the James Beard House with Jean Pierre Challet. As executive chef of NIOS, Massimo infuses the menu with fresh interpretations of classic preparations. His eclectic selection of small plates and enjoyable pre-theatre menu complement the restaurant's appeal and elegance.

De Francesca's new menu, debuting this season, features Tuna Nios-coise with sashimi tuna, marinated anchovies, olives, capers and green beans; Laughing Bird Shrimp Ceviche with pineapple, cilantro and jalapeño; Short Rib Melt with Robbiola, crispy shallots, and thyme. One menu highlight is the section dedicated to the hearty Montreal comfort food, poutine. Massimo has reinvented this classic dish in various ways and his creative takes include Carbonara "Poutine" featuring pancetta, egg yolk-brown gravy and parmesan, as well as the Merguez Poutine with smoked goat cheese, lamb sausage, and mint-lamb gravy.

What is the dish that:

1. Inspired your love of food?

My inspiration came from watching the passion my parents had for food and cooking. My mom made wonderful handmade pasta and pastries, while my dad cultivated his own vegetables and went fishing every chance he got. My favorite memory is of me and my dad fishing for small mouth bass on Georgian Bay in Ontario, Canada. When we got home, my dad would lightly dust the fish with flour and fry it with lemon, while my mom made a fresh tomato salad using ingredients from our garden.

2. Is your signature?

I like to think that I don't have a signature dish, but rather draw from my surroundings. If there's an ingredient locally unique to where I am, I try to use it in a dish or present it in a way that's totally unexpected.

3. You cook on your night off?

On my day off, I enjoy anything anyone else cooks! Usually, I'll have pizza with a great local New York beer or wine.

— Written by Anjali Kumar

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Tags : Three Dishes, Anjali Kumar, Massimo DeFrancesca

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