Roberto Alicea discovered his passion for cooking while in high school. Now the executive chef at Andaz 5th Avenue in New York City, he says he wasn’t especially engaged in school until he learned his Chicago-area high school offered a culinary program sponsored by Hyatt. That program changed everything.
Alicea quickly stood out to his instructors, who were Hyatt executive chefs, and secured an internship at the Hyatt Regency Chicago the summer before his sophomore year. He worked with Hyatt throughout high school and, after graduation, continued to advance his career with positions at Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress and Hyatt Regency McCormick. He joined the opening team of the acclaimed Nomi restaurant at the Park Hyatt Chicago and, in 2003 at age 23, became the youngest executive chef in the Hyatt organization when he took charge at Park Hyatt Beverly Hills.
Over the years, Alicea has helped open restaurants around the world, including venues at Hyatt Regency Trinidad, Grand Hyatt San Antonio, Hyatt Gainey Ranch in Scottsdale, Arizona, and Andaz properties in West Hollywood and New York City.
Tomato mint soup Serves 4–6
10 tomatoes
15 garlic cloves
5 shallots
5 sprigs fresh thyme
1 ounce olive oil
1/2 cup aged sherry vinegar
1/4 pound fresh mint leaves
2 cups tomato juice
1 ounce brown sugar
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Cut the tomatoes into quarters. Roughly chop the garlic and shallots. In a bowl, toss the tomatoes, garlic and shallots with the thyme leaves, olive oil and sherry vinegar. Spread the mixture on a sheet pan and roast at 375°F until the tomatoes develop some charred color. Keep an eye on the garlic to prevent burning.
Transfer the roasted vegetables to a stainless-steel pot with straight, high sides. Reserve a small bunch of mint for garnish. Add the fresh mint leaves, tomato juice and brown sugar, then bring the mixture to a gentle simmer and cook for about 20 minutes. Use an immersion blender to pulse the soup to your preferred consistency—smooth or slightly chunky. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, additional brown sugar, or more vinegar as needed.
Presentation: Ladle the soup into bowls and tear the reserved mint leaves over the top as a fresh garnish.
Veal meatballs Serves 10
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1 1/2 cups bread crumbs
5 pounds ground veal
1/4 pound chopped basil
4 whole eggs
1 caramelized onion, chopped
1 tablespoon red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon chopped mixed herbs
Vegetable oil, for searing
1 1/2 quarts chicken stock
16 ounces English peas
16 roasted cherry tomatoes, halved
2 ounces Italian parsley leaves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Combine the bread crumbs and milk in a bowl and mix until the texture resembles a soft pastry. Add the ground veal, chopped basil, eggs, caramelized onion, red pepper flakes and mixed chopped herbs. Season the mixture with salt and pepper and mix until well combined. Portion the mixture into 1-ounce meatballs and set them aside.
Heat a thin layer of vegetable oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the meatballs in batches until they develop a golden-brown crust. Transfer the seared meatballs to a pot and add the chicken stock. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer the meatballs in the stock for about 20 minutes.
After 20 minutes, add the English peas, roasted cherry tomato halves and Italian parsley leaves to the pot. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper and simmer an additional 10 minutes to meld the flavors.
Service suggestion: Serve the meatballs warm with some of the cooking broth spooned over them and a scattering of fresh parsley for brightness.
Andaz 5th Avenue
485 5th Ave. at 41st Street
New York, NY 10017
tel 212 601 1234