As
a teenager, Brooklyn-born David Ruggerio showed a strong interest
in becoming a chef. He started his training in 1977, spending nine
years at Manhattan's top-rated La Caravelle. This is where he won
the first of his three three-star reviews from The New York Times,
followed by Maxim's de Paris in New York, and Le Chantilly.Ruggerio honed his culinary skills in France at several of the country's leading restaurants, among them the Hotel Negresco with Jacques Maximin; Moulin de Mougins with Roger Verge; and Les Pres d'Eugenie with Michel Guerard.
From La Caravelle Ruggerio took the helm at Maxim's, owned by designer Pierre Cardin. After two years on Madison Avenue, he became the executive chef and owner of Le Chantilly. There he was honored in 1995 by noted vintner Robert Mondavi as a Rising Star Chef, in the first year of this national awards program.
A
year later Cardin called on Ruggerio to re-launch Maxim's. Under
the chef's creative management, a new audience was attracted and
this prime Art Nouveau property was revitalized.Multi-talented Ruggerio is the author of two books published by Artisan: "Little Italy," and "David Ruggerio's Italian Kitchen." "Little Italy" was made into a PBS series that aired in 1999. His primetime cooking show for the Food Network was shown nationally a year earlier.
Ruggerio also served as executive chef of Steak au Poivre and Brasserie de Boeuf before formulating the concept for Sushi a-go-go in 2001. This new cuisine challenge resulted in a personal spin on the sixties with decor, music, graphics and food.
I had the great pleasure of meeting Ruggerio who says "Diets are a dirty word". Ruggerio has lost 120 pounds from healthy eating and exercise. He will have a new cooking show on PBS next year. The book and show is called "The Healthy Table." The Healthy Table is a diary on how you can eat good healthy food and still lose weight. According to Ruggerio, sushi is very healthy and low in calories. They even offer brown rice sushi.
Healthy tips from Ruggerio: Do Cardio 4 times a week. Eat Grapefruit. - 1900 Broadway (near Lincoln Center) - (212) 724-7340
http://www.sushiagogonyc.com/
Interview conducted by Corine Cohen
