If you eat out  and live in the Hancock Park area, you no doubt know of chef Nancy Silverton. Founder of some of the area’s favorite restaurants including La Brea Bakery, Campanile, Pizzeria Mozza and Osteria Mozza, the curly-haired Windsor Square resident has put Los Angeles on the culinary map with her artisanal breads and pizza, mozzarella and pastas.
Earlier this month Silverton won the James Beard Outstanding Chef award, the “culinary equivalent of the Best Oscar” quotes the Los Angeles Times. Â The first time in 16 years an Angeleno has won the award, Â the 60 year old Silverton was trumped and feted at Lincoln Center where people described her as “generous with her time” and the “ultimate mentor.” That’s in addition to changing the way people think about some of the most simple made sumptuous foods of our time: bread and pizza.
The LA Times published an interview last week from Patt Morrison who put forth many of the questions we’d all like to ask Nancy Silverton. Â We learn why she loved TV dinners growing up, what she thinks of the phrases “foodie” and “farm-to-table” and what her favorite restaurant was as a kid (Denny’s!) It’s rather a fun, quick read of one of our local treasures, who we can now proudly boast is truly an Outstanding Chef.
