Chris Cosentino

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Heroes. We hear about them everyday. But what is a hero? Is it someone who is extraordinary and accomplishes great things, or is there a hero in all of us? I believe that heroes can be ordinary people but they do little things that make a difference.

Chris Cosentino. He is the hero that I have chosen. You may be wondering who he is. Well he is just an ordinary chef who took a step into the past to find an inspiration for his cooking. Born into an Italian family, Chris was in the kitchen as soon as he could stand. He would sit beside his great grandmother and watch her as she prepared traditional Italian dishes. Chris grew up in Rhode Island and attended Johnson and Whales University Culinary School. After graduating, he went to work, first at Red Sage restaurant and then at Kinkheads, both in Washington, D.C. It was during his culinary school years and his first jobs that he became inspired and began to work with offal. Offal is second hand cuts of meat such as the brains, liver and kidneys that are usually discarded when an animal is butchered. At his current position as head chef of Incanto in San Fransisco, Chris has introduced many dishes from pre-20th century Italy. He has also gone as far as to put turkey lungs on the menu. Mr. Cosentino has even been on Iron Chef America, twice, and placed third in the next Iron Chef competition. During his free time, Chris enjoys endurance mountain biking and spending time with his wife and son.

Chris Cosentino's "head-to-tail" dining approach was inspired by former colleague Jean-Louis Palladin, who taught him that you cannot cook for reviews but for yourself and your love of food. An avid hunter, Mr. Palladin also taught Chris to appreciate and be aware of the course that an animal takes from the farm to your plate. This process of thinking sparked Chris' interest in offal cooking. As the Head Chef of Incanto, Cosentino tries to show people how the whole animal must be used and respected by cooking strictly offal meals. Many people find his food very modern and adventurous, but he admits that his food is not modern but forgotten classics from the era of most people living on farms and killing an animal with their bare hands for food. Chris also uses his admitted ADD/ADHD to find inspiration for his dishes.

There are many ways to honor heroes but I think that to honor Mr. Cosentino, we should try new things, whether in food or in life, and make it a mission to learn more about animals and the trip they take from the farm to our plate.

What is a hero? To me a hero is someone who inspires us and does little things that make a difference. I hope that I have been able to show you how Chris Cosentino has inspired me to be more conscious about food.