Michael White

Michael White is chef and partner of award-winning New York restaurants Marea, Ai Fiori, and Osteria Morini and author of Fiamma: The Essence of Contemporary Italian Cooking. He previously served as executive chef of Fiamma Osteria, Convivio, and Alto. White’s restaurants have received numerous honors, including James Beard awards, Michelin stars, and glowing, three-star reviews from The New York Times. Known for soulful, flavorful interpretations of Italian cuisine, White is a Wisconsin native who trained in Italy with venerated chef Valentino Marcattilli at Ristorante San Domenico in Imola, studying the hands-on, ingredient-driven cooking style of the Italians. Endlessly inspired by the notion of taste memory, White strives to recreate the sensory feel of true Italian dining experiences with each dish he creates. He recently teamed up with Tupperware to create TupperClub—a unique, invitation-only pop-up dining experience that brings people together for an unforgettable meal, that hopes to spark unforgettable conversations.

Recipe

Learn Michael's secret to a simple and delicious dessert that will dazzle your friends.

I love making a hazelnut semifreddo recipe right now. While experimenting with the Tupperware Quick Chef tool, I whipped up this easy semifreddo recipe: I pre-whip cold, heavy whipping cream in the Quick Chef and then remove it from the machine. Now mix blended sugar, crushed caramelized hazelnuts, and vanilla extract in the machine and then fold in the whipped heavy cream. Freeze the semifreddo in a loaf pan until hardened and serve.

Restaurant

To find some of the best Cantonese in all of China, you won't even need to leave your hotel.

Lung King Heen located in the Four Seasons, Hong Kong is my restaurant of choice right now. It is like having Cantonese food for the very first time. My favorite dishes are the foie gras and abolone or any dim sum dish. The handmade skin/wrappers on the dim sum are so thin and delicate that you only taste the filling.

Cookbook

Even if Nordic cooking is not your customary style, the information inside this amazing book will translate to all cuisines across the board.

I am loving Rene Redzepi's Noma: Time and Place in Nordic Cuisine. It has many of the same hallmarks that Italian food does—simplicity being the most recognizable, which I respect most.

Food Destination

If you are ready to ascend into tastebud oblivion, hop on the next flight to China and don't look back.

Hong Kong is my hotspot right now. I will be going there for the third time in the last couple of months in just a few weeks to open up my restaurant Al Molo on Hong Kong Harbor. It is sensory overload there. From the wet markets to very high-end dining, the choices there are endless.

Plus: Check out Hungry Beast, for more news on the latest restaurants, hot chefs, and tasty recipes.