Northshore Magazine

Business ne 46 nshoremag.com April 2014 photographs by elise donoghue ne julia child may not seem like the typi- cal idol for a boy growing up in Lynn- field. But for Davio's Northern Italian Steak- house owner, Steve DiFillippo, Child repre- sented the Holy Grail of culinary success. "Julia's passion for the food industry and people was really inspiring," explains DiFillippo. He recalls the influence The French Chef star had on him in his recently released book, It's All About the Guest: Ex- ceeding Expectations in Business and in Life, the Davio's Way. The lessons DiFillippo learned from Child never left him. Now the owner of seven Davio's locations, including a recently opened Lynnfield outpost, DiFillippo has a deep appreciation for the chef who showed him how to successfully entrepreneur Chef 's Corner Davio's owner Steve DiFillippo shares his recipe for pasta al pomodoro, which can be found among sage advice and amusing anecdotes in his new book. By Megan Johnson function in the kitchen—and beyond. "She taught me so many things includ- ing how to treat employees and guests, and [how to] live in the moment," says DiFillippo, "and to appreciate everything and everyone around you." Of course, his book wouldn't be com- plete without the inclusion of a few funny mishaps involving the eccentric Child. The two became friends in the mid-1990s. DiFillippo once picked up Child from her Cambridge home to drive her to a charity event. Despite his hopes of culling the culi- nary genius's brain for tips, Child climbed into the car and promptly fell asleep. It's this kind of oddball story that DiFillippo remembers today as he creates his own kingdom of comestibles. davios.com Divining Davio's Steve DiFillippo writes about the restaurant business. In a medium saucepan, heat 2 oz. of Monini olive oil over medium-high heat. Take a large garlic clove, slice it paper-thin, add it to the oil, and cook for about a minute until it's golden brown. Now add 16 oz. of San Marzano tomatoes to the garlic and cook them for five to six minutes. Simmer the sauce until it thickens. Take six basil leaves, roll them up lengthwise, and thinly slice across the roll. Stir the basil into the sauce and add a sprig of fresh oregano. Whisk in an ounce of unsalted butter and salt and pepper to taste. Keeping the sauce w arm, bring a large pot of salted w ater to a boil. Add half a pound of dried angel hair pasta and cook according to the instructions on the package, or until al dente. When the pasta is almost done, bring the sauce to a near boil, drain the pasta ( reserve a little of the w ater ), and transfer immediately to the sauce, stirring the two together. Cook the sauce and pasta together for one minute, adding a few ounces of reserved pasta w ater. Divide the pasta into two equal portions and spoon the remaining sauce from the pan over the pasta. Garnish with Parmigiano- Reggiano cheese. "Bon appêtit!" In homage to the late great queen of cuisine, DiFillippo shares his recipe for pasta al pomodoro—a dish she adored. Julia Child's Favorite Angel Hair Pomodoro 2 oz. Monini olive oil 1 lg. garlic clove 16 oz. San Marzano tomatoes 1 sprig of fresh oregano 6 basil leaves 1 oz. unsalted butter Salt and pepper, to taste Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, to garnish KJ Apr14 Davios.indd 46 2/21/14 12:03 PM

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