The Amalfi Coast – that part of western Italy known for its rugged hillsides that drop into the churning sea, lemon trees by the millions, twisting mountain roads and some of the country’s most delicious food and wine, has a new outpost in Houston. It’s from chef Giancarlo Ferrara (photo above), who spent years manning the stove at Arcodoro. His new restaurant, Amalfi Ristorante Italiano & Bar, is named for the region where he grew up. (Read our “snapshot” of Amalfi here.) We recently sat down with Ferrara to learn more about his background and this abundant area of Italy.
(By the way: The upcoming February-March issue of My Table magazine includes our photojournal of Ferrara’s step-by-step instructions on how to make limoncello, a staple of Amalfi. Ferrara says, “Over the 30-mile stretch, you can see lemons everywhere. Even in the paintings and on the ceramics, you always see lemons. It is an everyday food. You grow up with that citrus smell.”)
What is your experience with the Amalfi Coast?
It was basically my first step into the kitchen because I’m from Salerno, which is the major city on the Amalfi Coast. I went to culinary school in Salerno. After the first semester, they send you on an internship to experience of the real world of restaurants and hotels. So, first the restaurant I ever worked in was also on the Amalfi Coast.
I was 16. Basically, the first years of high school are spent being sent out [on internship] for two weeks and then they bring you back [to school] for two weeks. Then, you spend the summer working for one of the restaurants that you worked at during the [school] year. I built my skills working in a hotel restaurant on the Amalfi Coast on Capri Island.
What is unique about Amalfi Coast cuisine?
Campania [the region that includes the Amalfi Coast] has been the pantry of Italy since the Roman Empire. Pompeii, Capua and Capri were the major cities in Rome. They had all the wine, vegetables and grain.
I grew up with the idea that Campania has had the top food and ingredients for centuries. The Amalfi Coast has a special relationship with citrus and seafood and the landscape is interesting. It is between a mountain and the sea. We don’t have much in the way of sandy beaches, but we have a spectacular mountain and a very deep, blue sea.
The way they produce vegetables and citrus is amazing. There are fields full of them. Just the atmosphere – the temperature, the smell of the citrus – for a chef is very inviting and inspiring. If you see my menu, you can really see that I’ve been inspired by the Amalfi Coast.
What brought you to Houston?
I met my wife in Italy. She’s originally from Dallas and has Cuban parents. We spent one year in Dublin, Ireland, together. I was working for a French restaurant there, and she was working for Citibank. We decided to come to the states.
At that time, we were living in Tampa, but her mom was still living in Dallas. One day when I was visiting in Dallas, my brother-in-law brought me to Arcodoro & Pomodoro. I met the chef-owner of the restaurant. He asked me if I was interested in coming to Houston to be the chef of Arcodoro in Houston. My wife and I finally made a decision to move to Texas in 2003.
How did you come to open Amalfi, your restaurant?
This has always been my dream, since the day I came to the United States. My wife and I always talked about owning our own place. When you want to open your own restaurant it takes longer [because of many factors]: finances, connections, places, timing, family issues. It took 11 years before we finally got all these things together. We opened Amalfi in October.
Name a few ingredients in Amalfi cuisine that guests will experience at your restaurant.
One ingredient is called colatura di alici. It’s like a fish sauce made with anchovies (a relative of the garum of ancient Rome). You dilute it with lemon juice and olive oil and can use it to prepare pasta or salad. It has an unbelievable taste. It’s like soy sauce in Japanese cuisine. It’s used everywhere.
Other primary ingredients in Amalfi are fresh fish, vegetables, sweet pepper, red bell pepper and cheese. My family includes fourth-generation cheesemakers. Some of the cheese we use (mozzarella, ricotta and Pecorino) come from my hometown. I also use special pastas, tomatoes and olive oil from there.
Amalfi Ristorante Italiano & Bar, 6100 Westheimer, 713-532-2201, amalfihouston.com