Mom Knows Best! NYC Chefs Reveal Their Favorite Recipes Learned From Mom
Simply put, Mom is the original badass in the kitchen. Who slaved over the stove nightly to get dinner on the table? Mom. Who packed daily lunches for you picky eaters every day in the seventh grade? Mom. Who makes the best chicken soup around? Mom. Moms everywhere deserve a toast, but in light of Mother's Day on Sunday, we got in touch with a bunch of the city's chefs to learn what treasured recipes most remind them of Mom.
"Growing up, I loved eating my mom's stuffed cabbage. It's one of those dishes that as a kid, you wouldn't think you would like, but I love it. It takes a lot of work to prepare, and to this day, it's a nice surprise when she makes it. She served it this past Easter, and I ate enough for three people, then brought the rest home with me and to the restaurant to share with my staff. In the past 15 years or so, she started sneaking kielbasa in there, which made it even better. We've paid homage to my mom by taking the stuffing components and making a meatball out of it, cooking it the same way." --Bill Telepan, Telepan
"Cheese soufflé. My mother only makes it once a year for Christmas Day. She gets them ready the night before and bakes them the next morning. It's the star of the show every year. Even though I've made it myself all the years I can't be home for Christmas, I still never remember the recipe, and I have to call her every time to get it. I'm pretty sure I'm not writing it down on purpose." --Josh Blakely, Macao Trading Co.
"Definitely the dish my mother has passed on is brisket. My mom can beat me any day at Jewish cooking. Her brisket recipe uses beer, Heinz chili sauce, and onions. Very simple actually, but I never like anyone's as much as hers. Perhaps just nostalgia." --Missy Robbins, A Voce
"Blintzes. My mom would make dinner every night for my brother and I. She is a very good cook so we had many favorites, but none compared to her cheese blintzes. They take some time to prepare so they weren't a regular menu item but we would beg for them daily." --Daniel Holzman, the Meatball Shop
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