Texas does not have a single Michelin Star restaurant. The reason has nothing to do with the quality of food or inventiveness of Texas chefs. To award stars there must be a Michelin chapter in the state. Texas does not have one. This said, for just one night, there was a Michelin Star meal served in Texas.
Karen and I found Ferrari’s Italian Villa and Chop House shortly after they opened at 1200 William D Tate in Grapevine. It has been our go-to Italian restaurant ever since. Whether the main dining room, the side car for lighter fare or the new three barrels garden, there is something for everyone any night of the week at Ferrari’s. Jane and Francesco Secchi infuse the welcoming atmosphere with great Sardinian influenced flavors, since that is where Francesco learned to be a chef. Their oldest son, Stefano, grew up in the restaurants the family owned since 1983. He spent years learning how to craft dishes of incomparable creativity from both Francesco and his grandmother in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy, spending summers gaining insights into what Italian food means to family and guests. He is also a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America in New York City.
When the time came for Stefano to make his way in the world, he chose to take his food insights and recipes back to New York City, where he opened a small restaurant by the name of Rezdora at 279 E. 20th Street. It did not take long for his dishes to attract attention, recognized as the 7th best new restaurant in America in 2019. For his incomparable menu at Rezdora, Stefano was awarded a Michelin Star, an incredible achievement on one of the largest food stages in the world.
Recently, Stefano came ‘home’ for an event and agreed to prepare a meal at his parent’s restaurant, making Ferrari’s a One Star Michelin experience, if only for one night.
The per iniziare or first course was a Gnocco Fritto, which was two puff pastries, one topped with Mortadella and the other, with Prosciutto di Parma. Chef instructed us that you pick up each in your hands, squeeze together like a taco to eat. The pastry shell was paper thin and still incredibly flavorful. He paired this with a Malvira Roero Arneis, which is a Piemonte white. It is like a peppery Chardonnay, at least to my palate.
Secondi was Agnolini with Crema di Parmigiano and Aceto Balsamico Invecchiato. The five small ravioli-like pastas were like a symphony of flavors, each complimenting and yet combining to deliver a perfect harmony in your mouth. The Agnolini were paired with a Beni di Batasiolo Nebbiolo, not the Chianti listed on the menu. This wine also comes from Piemonte and is a very smooth counterpoint to the flavors of the dish.
and Aceto Balsmico Invecchiato
The piatto principale was steak with sauces from Emilia Romagna. We discovered that the white sauce was creamed parmesan, the green a pesto and the red a bell pepper sauce. Each completely changed the character of the meat, and yet each delivered a gourmet experience. This was paired with a Ruffino Ducale Riserva, which is an extraordinary Chianti.
Chef Stefano prepared all of the dishes himself and we were privileged to watch him prepare the warm Zabaglione sauce that graced a Torta di Oliva for dessert. This was paired with an Adami Prosecco, the perfect finish to the meal and an extraordinary evening with a Michelin Star in Texas.
