VUE

C ollesano and his team, including help from chefs Dan Clarke and Greg Grossman of Culinaria Group, work with each client to craft a menu designed to their individual needs and tastes, providing services for everything from in-home private dinners to corporate events. They fuse a classic framework with cutting- edge techniques, resulting in global, modernist cuisine for a wide variety of palates. Taking inspiration from culinary virtuosos like Mario Batali and Thomas Keller, Collesano is able to transform a signature dish, like Keller's French Laundry egg custard, into a "democratized," contemporary work of art, using tools like an egg topper to accurately slice and shape the creamy egg custard, infused with rich truffles and topped with prosciutto. Whether it's using dry ice to accurately cool food quickly or implementing a whipping siphon to produce a smooth foam, this science-driven technique not only makes cooking more efficient but elevates any course with new, refreshing elements. "It's changed the way food behaves and, more importantly, the way we interact with it," added Collesano. These enhanced flavors and textures, groundbreaking technology, and breathtaking compositions are what make Plated Chef's food unforgettable. Prepping each course's flavor balance and composition like a modern artist, Collesano possesses a method that is both calculated and innovative in his gourmet creations. Growing up in an Italian family of successful chefs and restaurant owners, the New York native's culinary talent runs in his blood. However, before becoming a chef, he started out in the hectic world of law and finance. Collesano enjoyed the high- energy of his job but soon realized he would rather spend late nights behind a stove than behind a computer screen. "I've always had this entrepreneurial bug," said Collesano. "It was just finding how to make my true passion a reality." As a result of his entrepreneurial drive and ingenious precision,the company itself is the embodiment of Collesano's unique culinary I ' V E A LWAY S H A D T H I S E N T R E P R E N E U R I A L B U G , I T WA S J U S T F I N D I N G H O W T O M A K E M Y T R U E PA S S I O N A R E A L I T Y. VUE ON DINING V U E N J . C O M 92

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