Q & A with Leah Cohen

If you haven’t tasted Leah Cohen’s piccolini or pasta at Centro Vinoteca in the West Village, you probably only know her as New York’s hometown favorite on this season’s Top Chef.  To think, she started her career delivering pizzas and now she runs her own kitchen in the West Village.

Leah had no clue what she wanted to do wtih her life.  She stumbled into cooking at college, working part time in a restaurant.  Before Centro, Cohen worked in Sicily and under Daniel Humm at Eleven Madison Park.  Her hardest gig to date was standing before Padma, Tom, & Gail every week on Top Chef.  She didn’t win, but she’s dating the guy who did take first place — Hosea Rosenberg.  Now that Top Chef’s over, she’s back in Centro’s kitchen, cooking up kabocha squash ravioli with walnuts, brown butter, and vincotto and braised short rib cappelletti with foie gras butter, and peperoncini. 

 

Single/Married/Divorced?
I am single.

What did you want to be when you grew up?
As a kid, I never knew what I wanted to be when I grew up. I finally figured out that I wanted to cook when I was 19 years old. It was the first thing that I ever felt passionate about.

What was your first job in food? 
I was a pizza delivery girl in high school.

How do you make the leap from studying psychology to a career in cooking?
While I was going to school, I was also working at a restaurant.  I realized that I was more interested in my work than I was in school and decided to stop studying psychology and focus on starting my culinary career.

What are your favorite restaurants in your old neighborhood?
I grew up in Scarsdale, in Westchester. My favorite restaurant from my neighborhood is Johnnie’s Pizza.

After the CIA, you worked under David Burke at Park Avenue Café.  What inspired your move to Italy?One of the chefs from the CIA suggested that I do the Slow Foods program in Italy.

In Sicily, you started out washing dishes and working your way up through all the stations.  Was it frustrating to start at the bottom after working at Park Avenue Café?
It wasn’t frustrating for me to start at the bottom washing dishes in Sicily. Everyone needs to work from the bottom up.  It’s an important process that every chef needs to experience.

Your resume includes such varied kitchens as David Burke, Eleven Madison Park under Daniel Humm and a Michelin-starred restaurant in Sicily.  What style of cooking do you most gravitate towards?
I prefer Italian-inspired cuisine- not traditional but definitely Italian flavors.

Were you worried about trying to tackle Centro Vinoteca’s kitchen post- Anne Burrell?
I definitely had some big shoes to fill. I wasn’t worried- I was stressed out more than anything

How have you made the menu your own?
I changed almost the entire menu.  I left certain menu items that were Anne’s because we have regulars that want them and they are really good dishes.

What compelled you to audition for Bravo’s Top Chef?
My friend thought I would be good for the show, so I made an audition tape and within 3 weeks I was being flown to LA for the final casting. The whole process was really fast.

Who was the most intimidating judge on the show for you?
Tom Colicchio. He knows what’s up.

What’s your reality show experience been like?
Overall it has been a really positive experience. It has helped out my career and my restaurant, which is all I wanted to gain from the show.  Plus, I made some really good friends.

Which contestants were the biggest threats to you winning the competition this season?
Stefan, Jamie, and Hosea.

How have you balanced Top Chef and being Chef de Cuisine at Centro? 
I think I am balancing everything well. I am at work all the time and when I have events that I have to take time off from work I have a good crew to support me.

Other than your own, what are your favorite restaurants?
Hagi, Kyo-ya, Soba Koh, and Yakitori Toto.

When you started out did you think you’d end up running a successful restaurant and showing off your culinary prowess on TV for millions of viewers?
I really would have never imagined that I would be 27 years old, running a successful restaurant in NYC and have been on a cooking competition show. I am very proud of everything that I have accomplished so far.

How has the show changed things for you at the restaurant?  What from the show have you brought with you?  Any new appreciation for certain factors or ingredients?  Do you think you’ve learned to work better under pressure?
I think my experience on the show has really made me a better chef. The show challenged me in many ways both as a chef and as a person. This was the hardest culinary experience that I have had so far in my life and it really helped me grow.

Any new projects on the horizon?  Do you see a television career in your future?  Or perhaps, your own restaurant? Kindly spill the beans…
For right now I am just focused on my restaurant. I don’t think that this is the right time for me to open my own restaurant especially in NYC the way things are with the economy. As far as TV goes I would definitely be interested in doing more in the future.

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