A Quickie with Marco Calenzo
Don't ask him for truffles
Relocating from London where Marco Calenzo spent nine years working in renowned kitchens across the pond, he moved to Miami with a gut feeling and in search of a dream. He knew this opportunity was right up his alley shortly after he first interviewed with the Four Seasons Surf Club’s beloved GM Daniela Trovato. “I felt a strong connection and as a Chef, when you find a relationship like that - one where you speak the same language, it makes an impact,” he says.
He’s been putting out the best-of-the-best at Lido and across the rest of the property ever since. Dig deep with us into the personal and professional life of Marco Calenzo, the 43-year-old culinary master who is reshaping and redefining Miami’s culinary landscape.
Name: Marco Calenzo
Nickname: “Tornado,” because when I am in the kitchen I make a mess in a good way. It's my active power!
Place of work: The Four Seasons at The Surf Club
Childhood leftover memory: So, there is a pasta dish that I always think of and looking back I realize that food was just a way to get by and stay nourished as a child. All of my meals were cold because as you could imagine, I could not sit at a formal table when the meals were hot. Funnily enough, my son is following the same patterns. I implemented my youth and reverted to cold items when we briefly had Crudo bar. I served cold spaghetti with clams and almond sauce and it was a unique hit!
What is your favorite restaurant to take leftovers home from: I feel Vice Versa in Downtown Miami is the best for that. As is Mano Libera, which translates to ‘free hands,’ in Coral Gables. The chef cooks with his heart.
My last meal would be: Pizza and champagne!
What music is on in your kitchen: Not in the kitchen at work. I remove it because I prefer the silence during the service because it keeps people more focused.
What do you wear at home in the kitchen: Boxers!
Favorite thing about the Miami restaurant scene: You can find different restaurants and cuisines. There's so many fusion opportunities where different countries merge. I love the mixing of ingredients.
What is your least favorite thing about the Miami Restaurant scene: What I find is I don't like to book in advance. I'm not great at planning so I do it at the very last minute. As the good restaurants are very full and I don't like waiting.
After work, I drink alcoholic/non alcoholic?: Unfortunately, alcoholic. I swear by a good negroni. Both before and after dinner. There's millions of types, but I am into the classics. At Vice Versa, they have an amazing one.
What would people be most surprised to know about you: They don’t know a lot about me so when I share my story tables get surprised. People are so surprised about my age generally. I am 43, so I am not that young but it's generally a surprise. They all actually think I look younger.
You go-to spots in Miami: Mano Libre, Vice Versa, and I love Japanese cuisine - so Uchi and Makoto are easy for me.
Kitchen tool you swear by: I am so picky on equipment, so I would say Japanese knives for sushi, but also for vegetables….I buy them whenever I go to Japan. I go often, so I generally come back with the knives straight from the source. The blades are sharpened in a certain way, they are just lighter, and it's so personal.
Most over-rated culinary trend: The truffle. I am a large user of them but I see from my experience that so many restaurants put truffles on any dish when they are not even in season. It's mediocre! As it’s summer, there are two truffles from Italy and France and they aren't nice. I call them potatoes. You pay like $200 per kilo and there's no flavor at all! However, the Australian ones are 1000++ (I love them) per kilo and many places often offer them to just boost costs. This is why I have removed quite a few dishes from the menu and will only add them if they are good and season permitting.
Thoughts on MSG: I'm very against it. And when you eat too much it burns your palate and when you get used to it, you're always searching for it and without it your palate is way more clean and healthy.
Favorite thing to cook at home: Normally, pasta but as of recently, minestrone soup. Since I moved to America I have paid more attention to what I buy and what I cook. I also use an app when I shop called Yuka and I scan all of the barcodes which guide me. I suggest you try it, it's a game changer for the way we eat.
If you weren't a chef, what would you be doing: I would be an architect! I love design and buildings and interior design. I love to see the inside of beautiful homes, how they are built, etc. It's all about inner workings.
What advice would you give aspiring chefs: Some of the biggest advice I was given was to change jobs! At the beginning of my career this happened, and from the start they make you peel potatoes. One chef told me I would never be able to make it, so where I ended up was my formal revenge. My father’s advice, however, was always to aspire to do what I like. And to go for it.
What's your favorite guest order pet peeve: When I get requests which don’t make sense, like to change a dish without even knowing the dish itself. It's not because I don't want to do it, it's because I know the end result. Because I always accommodate the requests even though there is so much thought behind my dishes. Also, adding to dishes like salt or cheese before they try it. So don’t add before you try as it changes the dish profile.
Favorite city to visit for food: As a city in general, in Paris. It was phenomenal. The best meal was L'Arpege. Major emphasis on the vegetables. And in Japan I love Fukuaka it's a city that is comparable to Tuscany. The seafood, and restaurant scene is beyond. You can eat anything, the best sourced fish to heavenly sea urchin.