Matt Lewis, Renato Poliafito

Fresh Picks by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito.

Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito

Oprah’s favorite baking duo tells us what they’re loving right now.

Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito left their day jobs in advertising five years ago to open their bakery, Baked, in Brooklyn, NY, to immediate praise from fans across the country. The authors have been featured on Oprah, the Today show, the Food Network, and The Martha Stewart Show. Their first book, Baked, was an IACP award nominee. Lewis and Poliafito live in New York City.

Recipe

Great dishes take time and lots of love—and this creamy risotto is no exception.

Risotto with Parmesan Cheese from Marcella Hazan. It is not something you can make on the fly after a long day at work, but it is well worth the experience—you can't hurry love. Just a note of warning: stirring the risotto (and this always takes longer than the directions) is the perfect excuse to drink a few glasses of wine prior to dinner.

Restaurant

Two dining picks from different ends of the cuisine spectrum with one key thing in common: absolutely amazing food.

From Matt: I wish I wasn't so addicted to Locanda Verde as it is such a bitch to score a dinner reservation. It's got everything: good food, decent prices, nice vibe... But it's the sheep’s milk ricotta I keep going back for—I slather it on everything. It's simple and powerfully addictive and I honestly almost stabbed a server for trying to take it away (as the appetizer) before the entrees arrived. Oh, and I have been a closet stalker of Karen DeMasco for years. Love everything she does.

From Nato: Market Table in the West Village is my go-to restaurant—it’s not too loud, not too big and I love the service. I think you can tell a lot about a restaurant by the quality of their simplest dishes—and their pan-roasted chicken has the depth of something transcendental.

Cookbook

From classic to over the top, these books will have you fascinated if nothing else.

We love the revamp of David Lebovitz's Ready for Dessert. The recipes are elegant without being showy or too "cute" and I (Matt) keep making the Banana Cake/Mocha Frosting recipe over and over again (my doorman actually requests it). Lately, we are also kind of obsessed with odd celebrity cookbooks. A Treasury of Great Recipes from Mary and Vincent Price is a whole boatload of crazy—but eminently readable. And I'm sorry, but Cooking for Cher is fucking (er…super) fantastic if only for the photos in the middle of the book. It transcends camp. We are not even sure if it's a cookbook or a tricked out voodoo road map to another galaxy (see Cher's Guidelines to Being "Lean and Clean"). We made the prune based Chocolate Fudge Torte at the bakery and it left everyone slack-jawed.

Food Destination

You’ll have to plan an extra long vacation (and pack extra-loose clothing) to hit both these incredible European cities.

From Matt: I am incredibly lazy in this department and succumb to the easy allure of Paris. Yes, I know it is filled with tourists and supposedly the grand cuisine is falling on hard times, but I could happily survive on their baguettes and macaroons until the end of time. And I love to pretend-shop at the fancy department store food halls. Call me when the euro/dollar switches up.

From Nato: I am still infatuated with Rome. I know it has a reputation for being frenetic and dirty, but I don't obsess about those things. I obsess about the bountiful, authentic carbonara, and well dressed people, and the gardens...and I could go on....

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

Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito left their day jobs in advertising five years ago to open their bakery, Baked, in Brooklyn, NY, to immediate praise from fans across the country. The authors have been featured on Oprah, the Today show, the Food Network, and The Martha Stewart Show. Their first book, Baked, was an IACP award nominee. Lewis and Poliafito live in New York City.

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