Famed Food Network chef Alex Guarnaschelli has taken her culinary expertise to the historical corridors of the New York Historical Society, now serving as the kitchen maestro at their relaunched lobby restaurant Clara. Eater reports that the dining spot, nestled on 170 Central Park West, offers greenmarket produce with a spotlight on Kinderhook's Katchkie Farm and a variety ranging from artichoke dishes to a cheeseburger that'll set diners back twenty-nine bucks.
Guarnaschelli, whose star has risen with television appearances on Iron Chef America and Chopped, hasn't attached her name to a New York restaurant in over ten years. Before this, she found fame at Butter, which dazzled diners and the pages of gossip columns alike since its Noho inception and subsequent move to Midtown in 2014. Guarnaschelli, adoring Central Park West and its historic buildings, told Eater, found the Clara project so compelling that it was impossible to pass up.
Aside from her professional ventures, Guarnaschelli is also enjoying the simple comforts of food that's close to her heart, as Tasting Table reveals. After midnight, the chef relaxes with a bowl of cold spaghetti and meatballs. Guarnaschelli admitted in an interview with FN Dish, preferring a plush cloud of Parker House rolls, the simplicity of cold pasta can't be beaten, "Polite answer: uh ... ice water!! Real answer: cold spaghetti and meatballs."
In the science of second-day flavor, food chemist Dr. Kantha Shelke tells Forbes that cold leftovers benefit from myriad reactions that continue to improve the taste. Embracing the nostalgia and simplicity, Guarnaschelli's own meatball recipe calls for sirloin, breadcrumbs, and a handful of other ingredients to throwback to the warmth of childhood kitchens. The chef encourages leftovers to bask in their enhanced flavor, suggesting, "The leftovers will taste even better the next day when the pasta has had time to absorb the sauce and cheese," which is shared on her official website, as detailed by Tasting Table.
