Meet the Chef: Posa Posa's Tony Criscuolo

 Tony Criscuolo has been the Executive Chef at Posa Posa Pizzeria & Restaurant since 1984 and he owns it with brother-in-law John Mandara.

That’s lots of pizzas—and lots of Veal Posa Posas, his signature dish.

However, his culinary exploys started well before the restaurant opened its doors:

—What or who got you started in the food industry? 

An uncle that cooked at one of Positano Hotel’s  restaurants

—Did you like cooking at first? When did you start to like it?

I liked to cook when I was 14 years old

—Have you had any formal training? If so, what is the most important lesson you learned? 

I had formal training at the Culinary Institute in Italy. The most important lesson is to be consistent.

—What other restaurants have you worked at (if any)? How have you survived (or do you survive) in an industry that most of the time means long hours and hard work? Have you ever thought about entering another field?

 I have worked in Le Sirenuse, Covo di Saraceno, and San Pietro in Italy. I have not thought about another field.

 —When it gets busy in the kitchen, how do you keep on track?

 Over the years, I have learned to stay calm when it gets busy.
 

—Tell me about your most popular, signature dishes. Which one is truly your own?

Ziti Aum Aum, Vela Posa Posa and Frutti di Mare. My signature dish is Veal Posa Posa.

—Which type of food would you like to become more familiar with, or learn more about? Why?

Japanese food, because they use a lot of seafood and it fascinates me.

—When you eat out where do you like to go?

Peter Luger’s Steakhouse.

—Advice someone who wants to become a chef?

 Be committed.

Recipe: Veal Posa Posa

Ingredients:

• veal cutlet
• mushrooms
• cherry wine
• heavy cream
• flour
• butter
• salt
• pepper
• parsley

Directions:

1. Lightly dredge (coat) thinly sliced veal cutlets with flour on both sides.
2. Melt a teaspoon of butter in a pan over a high flame.
3. Place the veal cutlets in the pan, and evenly brown cutlets on both sides.
4. After cooking, remove cutlets from pan, and place on a separate dish.
5. Cook sliced mushrooms in same pan for about a minute, and then place veal back on top of mushrooms in pan.
6. Add a dash of salt, pepper and parsley.
7. Add a few tablespoons of sherry wine and allow took cook, turning the cutlets and stirring the mushrooms.
8. Add ¼ cup heavy cream and allow to cook, stirring and turning cutlets.
9. Place on plate and serve with pasta or salad.

*Takes about 5 minutes to prepare

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