HAL JACKMAN GIVES US HIS TWO CENTS THE HOUSE OF JACK DIAMOND MARGARET McCAIN AND PETER GILGAN REVEAL THE NATIONAL BALLET’S THE FUNDAMENTALS PRINCIPAL PRODIGIES OF PHILANTHROPY JOE BASTIANICH: MASTER OF FOOD & WINE PLUS A NIGHT ON THE TOWN WITH CHARLES KHABOUTH Spring 2013 U.S. / CAN $5.95 INTRODUCING THE 2014 CORVETTE STINGRAY Display in Fashion / Lifestyle until June 18 31 0 74470 94926 8 Publications Mail Agreement # 40026675 Publications Mail Joe Bastianich, New York restaurateur, winemaker and judge on MasterChef EPICURETHE JOE BASTIANICH STAYS THE PATH OF HIS “BIOLOGICAL IMPERATIVE” WRITTEN BY SIMONA PANETTA / PHOTO BY CASS BIRD 72 DOLCE VITA MAGAZINE • SPRING 2013 www.dolcemag.com began in 1989, a year when an empire of books, cooking shows worldwide, the secret to their success spending sprees and an and restaurants since the opening of lies in the foundations of a friendship: emphasis on brand names Buonavia in the ’70s with his father, a reciprocity of respect, faith in one captured the zeitgeist of the late Felice (Felix) Bastianich. another and a common passion. “We the era. A freshly minted An old-school champion of exceeding both trust each other to have opinions ItBoston College graduate thinking that patrons’ expectations while drawing about all of the experience, from food success was to be found in the narthex his purse strings — the two inherent and wine to design and execution of of corporate margins, Joe Bastianich qualities that make what Bastianich service,” explains Batali. “And [we] are gravitated to Manhattan like a kid to a refers to as the “Restaurant Man” in smart enough to back down if the other lollipop. Wall Street was his Candy Land, his book — the family patriarch taught has a better, more informed, or at least his ticket to freedom from a blue-collar Bastianich about service and the fi scal arguable position … It is 80 per cent of destiny. So he began rather impishly, ins and outs of the business; lessons both our lives, every day of our lives, fi bbing on his resumé that he was a wine that would take him to the top of the and we love it, even the shitty days.” buyer for Felidia (a portmanteau of his wine and food chain. “Just being solely In 2012, a lawsuit fi led against the two parent’s booming New York establishment) focused on profi t takes the art out of any business partners most likely brought and landing an interview at Merrill business, and I think that creativity and on the aforementioned state of mind, a Lynch because the man who read his passion are what give you success, not period the duo conquered by “staying application was a regular at the three- the compelling desire for wealth,” says the path,” explains Batali. According star restaurant. He was eventually hired Bastianich, who upon returning from to The New York Times, the case dealt as a bond trader and given a hall pass his Italian sojourn partnered with Lidia with tip-skimming allegations at several into a world where the champagne to open Becco restaurant in 1993. He of their restaurants and was settled for fl owed and the Hermès ties and libertine was 22. A year later, at a James Beard $5.25 million. Parties involved were notches on the belt happened to come Foundation Journalism Awards dinner unable to discuss said amount. Of the with the six-fi gure territory. All rather she helped organize, Lidia introduced challenges along the way, Bastianich titillating and grand on the surface, her son to the colourful Mario Batali, handles it sunny side up. “We’ve had lots but in his New York Times bestselling who was at the time beginning to pioneer of big bumps, whether it be litigation, tell-all Restaurant Man, Bastianich the Italian culinary scene in New York various sources, people detractors. But explains how the debauchery and greed- City. “I thought he was a well-organized you know, I think that if you keep pure is-good philosophy imploding around him just wasn’t his particular cup of entrepreneurial tea. Rather, it left him emotionally bankrupt and parching JUST BEING SOLELY for a life where someone else wasn’t FOCUSED ON PROFIT TAKES calling the shots on how successful or rich he’d be. A year-and-a-half in and THE ART OUT OF ANY BUSINESS, a hefty bonus jingling its way into his AND I THINK THAT CREATIVITY bank account, Bastianich jettisoned his job for a one-way plane ticket to a AND PASSION ARE WHAT GIVE YOU Shangri-La of sustenance. He went to SUCCESS, NOT THE COMPELLING Italy to reconnect to his roots, sipping on vintage wines, dining with vinous DESIRE FOR WEALTH companions, tasting the culture that had — Joe Bastianich raised him to understand that one should live to eat rather than eat to live. It was guy who understood Italian food,” writes to your commitments and serving great an about-face move that would change Batali in block letters via email, his food and creating hospitality, that the the course of his life and legacy. And choice of letter case a fi tting conduit customers have the fi nal vote, and they it made him happier than a bird with a for his larger-than-life personality. The vote with their feet,” says Bastianich. breadcrumb. “It was defi nitely my soul- seemingly opposite twosome would go “We’ve been lucky enough to have searching moment, my professional aha on to become an unstoppable force, been able to win that battle most of moment,” says Bastianich of the Italian dispensing the spirit of Italian fi ne the time.” caper that would confi rm his inescapable dining across New York with restaurants Bastianich, along with Batali, Lidia, calling. “I knew I had to live my life in that include the legendary Babbo Italian businessman Oscar Farinetti wine and food.” Ristorante e Enoteca, Lupa Osteria and partners Adam and Alex Saper, It’s not surprising that the Romana and the much-celebrated Del spawned another hit in 2010: Eataly, thoroughbred epicure followed in Posto. Expanding their empire (the an artisanal Italian food and wine familial footsteps, a decision he labels Batali & Bastianich Hospitality Group) emporium in New York City, with a a “biological imperative” in his book. to Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Hong Kong second location in Chicago anticipated Mother chef Lidia Bastianich heads and Singapore for a total of 24 restaurants in the fall. In an industry that sees more www.dolcemag.com DOLCE VITA MAGAZINE • SPRING 2013 73 sorry-we’re-closed signs than come-in- of Tritono wine in Argentina. Apart got to be kidding me’s,” Bastianich we’re-open proclamations, Bastianich from realizing his grape expectations, infuses a polarizing presence. Calmly is guided by a simple approach to the Bastianich’s segue into wine has and collectively — justifi ably so, good road while invoking a dictum of played an integral part in what is now the man does know what he’s talking providence. “It’s just a sensibility and considered a standard element in the about — the erudite word whiz cuts to respect for hard work and respect for the high-end restaurant scene. “I think we the core of trembling competitors, all customers. Luck is when preparation very much in the last 20 years have been while maintaining icy composure in his meets opportunity.” And possibly, when fundamentally integrating wine into the tailored suits. “This is a cacophony of one can’t help but be thirsty. dining experience,” says Bastianich, dissonant fl avours that makes absolutely When the chance to pursue his 44, adeptly applying his hunger for no sense,” he deadpans to a frontrunner. entrepreneurial itch of having vineyards improvement to his own life. The Her heart lands splat on the stage he could call his own presented itself, husband and father of three, who quit fl oor. Moving his subzero eyes onto yet his exploration of Italian varietals as a smoking upon becoming a family man another disastrous dish, he fl atly stares 20-something corporate quitter kicked (and also to clear his sensorial palate), down the proverbial underdog of Season into high gear. Interestingly enough, is an avid triathlete and guitar-playing 3. “Poorly executed. Not thoughtful. the experience he gained while washing enthusiast, who equates the good life Over elaborate.” Bastianich also joins dishes at his parents’ restaurants proved to drinking and eating with family Carlo Cracco and Bruno Barbieri as rewarding. When that Wall Street bond and friends. a judge on Sky’s MasterChef Italia. trader called him out on his purported A foremost restaurateur, vineyard A forthcoming show, Hungry, which role at Felidia, Bastianich, dancing on owner, author and TV personality on the will piggyback his Restaurant Man a pin, tipped the scales in his favour fi ercely competitive MasterChef with memoir, is set to debut sometime this when he was able to distinguish the fellow chef-judges Graham Elliot and year. “I cook like a badass, but there differences among vintages of Aldo Gordon Ramsay, Bastianich is also the were too many chefs around me when I Conterno Barolos. The modern-day one man that’s just about as petrifying was growing up,” says Bastianich. “My Dionysus now has his own name as the latter. Where the British hothead mother and Mario, they say too many etched on wine bottles as a co-owner is expected (and gladly so) to slam chefs spoil the soup. So I had to fi nd of vineyards in Friuli Venezia-Giulia, cooktops and berate fl edging chefs with something else to do.” Tuscany and Piedmont, and a co-creator his fi ery “bloody hell’s!” and “you have www.joebastianich.com Condé Nast Traveler “Gold List” , 2013 Travel + Leisure Magazine “Top 500 World’s Best Hotels“, 2012 TripAdvisor “Traveller’s Choice - Luxury Catetgory” , 2013 Exceptional Dining z Live Entertainment Nightly zLuxurious Spa Downtown Vancouver, B.C.