Content provided in partnership with

Food & Beverage Industry

Aliza Green: love of cooking leads Stella Notte chef back into the kitchen - Under the Toque

Nation's Restaurant News, Dec 23, 2002 by Lori Lohmeyer

After a 14-year hiatus, the lure of the kitchen proved too big a draw for chef Aliza Green, who returned to cook up Italian trattoria-style cuisine at Stella Notte restaurant in Philadelphia.

Green retired from the kitchen in 1987. Juggling the responsibilities of raising her first child and working around the clock as executive chef and partner of White Dog Cafe proved too challenging. She made the decision to focus on her children, but her career in the foodservice industry did not falter.

Most Popular Articles in Business: Research and Markets : Tesco Plc - SWOT Framework Analysis; Do Us a Flavor - Ben & Jerry's Issues a Call for Euphoric New Flavors; eBay made easy: ready to start an eBay business? These 5 simple steps will ...; Katrina's lawsuit surge: a legal battle to force insurers to pay for flood ...; Wal-Mart's newest distribution center opened last month near the southwest ...; More »

During her 14-year "break," Green worked as a consultant for many of Philadelphia's top eateries, including The Omni hotel in Philadelphia and Stephen Starr's Tangerine. She co-authored and wrote several cookbooks, such as "Georges Perrier: Le Bec-Fin Recipes," with five-star restaurateur Georges Perrier. She also spent time teaching in Drexel University's Culinary Arts program, working as a food stylist for home shopping channel QVC and writing various food columns for some of the city top newspapers.

Initially, Green served as a restaurant consultant for Stella Notte, which is located in Philadelphia's Chestnut Hill area, but her fondness for Northern Italian cuisine and the restaurant's dinner-only schedule led her to resume her place in the kitchen.

Title: executive chef-partner, Stella Notte Trattoria & Steakhouse, Philadelphia

Birth date: May 2, 1952

Hometown: Philadelphia

Career highlights: garnering a four-star review at DiLullo restaurant in Philadelphia and writing for the Philadelphia Inquirer a weekly food column called "Regional Seasonal."

Why did you initially quit and turn to writing?

Because I had my children. My son was born in 1986. I had been a chef for about 10 years and really had planned to continue doing that. After my son was born, I became a partner in the White Dog Cafe. I did that for about a year and found that it was too much for me. I decided that I needed to make a change, but I wanted to stay in the food business. Food is in my blood, and once it's in your blood, you can't do anything about that.

Why was it difficult to juggle your family and a cooking job?

The hours and the responsibility--when you're a chef, you're married to your job. You're responsible for the staff, and at the same time you're responsible for your kids. When I was pregnant, I was still working. I worked six days a week up until my ninth month. I drove from work to the hospital and had my son. In a different situation, it could have worked. But the restaurant was open seven days a week, serving three meals a day.

During your break from the kitchen you kept busy by consulting, food styling and writing about cuisine. Who were some of your clients?

I came up with a menu item the Dock Street Brewing Co. called "Trio Fries," which won the "Best of Philly" [Award] year after year. It was a combination of Idaho Potatoes unpeeled, sweet potatoes and leeks. It was extremely popular. They tried to take it off their menu because it was quite labor intensive, but customers just went crazy. Other restaurants I consulted for in Philadelphia include Tangerine and Avenue B.

You also had time to write cookbooks?

Keep in mind that my "break" from the kitchen was for a period of 14 years. I wrote three cookbooks. I co-authored a book with Georges Perrier of Le Bec Fin. I wrote "The Bean Bible," which includes 225 recipes using legumes. In the dedication of "The Bean Bible," I had to give my children credit for their patience. You can imagine what the testing was like on that one. "!Ceviche! Seafood, Salad and Cocktails with a Latino Twist," which I co-authored with Guillermo Pernot, won a James Beard Award. I also wrote a weekly column for The Philadelphia Daily News and the Philadelphia Inquirer.

I also started doing food styling for QVC. It did extremely well with cookbook sales. Different authors would come, and I would have to decide to make eight or 10 dishes from each of the books. I got to work with just about every great culinary authority you can think of: Julia Child, Jacques Pepin, Paul Prudhomme, Emeril Lagasse.

Why did you return to the kitchen at Stella Notte?

I never thought I would go back. They sucked me in. I was looking for more stability and more regular hours. Because I consulted for them first, I felt as if I'd I put my toes in the water, then got in up to my knees and all of a sudden the water was deep. I had to sink or swim.

What kind of cuisine does the restaurant specialize in?

It's trattoria food, Italian seasonal cuisine. I really made my reputation as a chef at DiLullo in Philadelphia, which served Northern Italian food, and I have spent a lot of time traveling and studying food in Italy. So I just had a lot of knowledge and love of that food.

What are some popular menu items?

A half-roasted chicken served over mascarpone polenta. I have a wild king salmon served on a bed of lentils with tomato, herbs and scallions. It has a mustard sauce and crispy leeks. That's a really nice dish. The menu is not authentic, but I stick to the Italian ingredients. In the summertime we sold 2,000 orders of our crab cakes served on fresh corn. Our wood-roasted mushrooms are also a top seller.

Food & Beverage Industry

Aliza Green: love of cooking leads Stella Notte chef back into the kitchen - Under the Toque

Nation's Restaurant News, Dec 23, 2002 by Lori Lohmeyer

Find Research Guides for:

Find Featured Titles for: Reference

Most Popular Articles in Business

Most Popular Publications in Business