ve Chef Education, or a Dose of Reality?
By Wendy Croix
Since executive chef jobs rest on reputation, journalist Beth Landman's assessment of Rocco DiSpirito's reality television antics reads like an obituary. "Hard as it is to imagine," Landman writes, "there was a time when DiSpirito was a word-of-mouth legend in the Manhattan restaurant world, renowned for his precise, inspired flavor combinations." How did Rocco rewrite his own legend?
Rocco's Executive Chef Training Starts Early
Rocco attended the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York at the tender age of 16. Once he graduated, he headed for France (as did Emeril), apprenticing at Jardin de Cygne, with Dominique Cecillon and Gray Kunz. Rocco also earned a B.S. in Business from Boston University (executive chefs in the making, take note!). Then, he began his climb, with jobs in the kitchens of Adrienne and Lespinasse, and a chef position at Dava in Murray Hill. There, his spare-no-expense approach to the culinary distressed his employer who, "threw me out on my ass one day," DiSpirito says.
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Executive Chef Jobs: The Name Above The Door, Or Not
Rocco established his culinary fame when he opened Union Pacific in 1997 with partner Steven Scher. Union Pacific soon captured three stars from the Times, but Rocco's was different. "There has always been something a little unappetizing about watching a talented chef squander his talents," Landman complained of The Resturant's restaurant. So did the patrons, and on July 28, 2004, a Times headline blared, "Judge Orders Rocco Out of Rocco's." Another headline followed in September: "Rocco DiSpirito's Out at Union Pacific."
Over the Top?
DiSpirito found a new home on QVC. "Was it wrong for Da Vinci to want to sculpt after painting?" he asked, when questioned about his television turn. Perhaps Rocco's found his true calling as a multi-media phenom since, Landman concludes, "Rocco's has never been about the food."
Got Rocco?
Other References:
Landman, Beth. "Spaghetti Western." New York Metro.com
"Rocco Dispirito." The Restaurant (nbc.com)
About the Author
Wendy Croix, Ph.D. is a freelance writer, cultural critic and university professor. In her twenty years as a professional educator, Wendy has guided hundreds of students toward the careers of their dreams.
