May 10, 2022
Have you ever walked 14 miles
with 90 pounds of salt, traded it for 90 pounds of organic flour,
and walked back home with it on your back? Los Angeles-based
Italian/French/Argentinian restaurant Bianca is named after a baker
who did just that - regularly.
Her name was Bianca,
and during World War II this Italian self-taught chef would source
her ingredients the only way she could to help feed her family and
community. Now, her grandsons Gianni and Nicola Vietina are
successful chefs in Los Angeles, and we get to hear from the only
baker they trust as pastry chef of Bianca Restaurant: their
long-time friend Federico Fernandez.
And lest anyone think
Federico (a.k.a Fede) was given this honor based purely on his
friendship with Gianni and Nicola, we quickly learn that his talent
and experience precede him: he was the executive pastry chef of the
Four Seasons Hotel before his work at Bianca began.
Today’s episode will
make you swear you can smell Fede’s cream-filled Cannoncini’s and
almond croissants as we listen in on some of his fresh-sourcing
secrets. Andy and Fede touch on everything from elaborate wedding
cakes to Argentinian Bar-B-Q gatherings, and the busy kitchen
sounds of Bianca carry on in the background, welcoming us to the
richly cultured heart of Los Angeles.
Ingredient-Sourcing: Balancing Quality and the
Bottom-line
Fede’s wisdom feels especially
rich when Andy asks about sourcing flour and other important
ingredients from week to week. His experience and skill create
standards that aren’t work compromising to save a few short-term
dollars, and his savvy knack for relationship building with local
sources helps keep the establishment in the black, even as the
Culver City area of Los Angeles is still in the recovery process
from coronavirus lock-downs.
All About Federico Fernandez
Fede grew up in Argentina baking
with his mother. He studied the culinary arts in Buenos Aires and
then traveled internationally and worked in several prestigious
hotel chains like Hyatt, Marriott and Intercontinental. He
eventually connected with the Four Seasons where his culinary
creations could be tasted in Argentina, Uruguay, Canada and the
US.
Now busy co-owning and
creating at Bianca, he’s able to integrate the classics of his
childhood with his current surroundings. He’s made appearances on
Iron Chef, The Today Show and other programs.
Connect with Fede
https://www.instagram.com/pastrycheffede/
https://www.instagram.com/bianca.losangeles/
https://www.facebook.com/bianca.losangeles
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Show Credits:
Hosts: Andy and Marianna Chapman
Graphic Design by Tyler Castleman
Production provided by Bryan
Murphy
The EATYALL Podcast is hosted by Andy
Chapman, CEO and founder of EATYALL. EATYALL serves the food and
farm community with effective chef outreach
services.