I first met Anthony
Giacoponello in 2010
when I featured Sebonack
Golf Club in my first
book, Golf Club World -
Behind the Gates.
I am in awe of Anthony’s culinary training, from Ducasse, Boulud,
Kunz, Portale and more. I have worked with many of these chefs
myself, and I know how passionate and committed you need to be
to keep up the pace in a kitchen under their watch. ~ Diana Delucia
Anthony, tell us a little about how you became a chef and where
you’ve worked.
My first endeavor in a kitchen was during junior high school. My
father Joseph, who is a very close friend of Sirio Maccioni through
business, arranged for me to stage for two weeks at the famous Le
Cirque restaurant. I was in awe as I walked through the kitchen just
knowing the innovative food that was created in this kitchen. The
chefs were very generous with their time with me, and it was truly
an education. I will never forget when I was cleaning the sea scallops
next to the Poissonnier and feeling the scallop twinge as I sliced it
very thin for the famous sea scallop “black tie.” That’s how fresh
their products were!
After I graduated from high school, I was fortunate to be able to
work at the Grand Hotel Victoria Jungfrau in Interlaken, Switzerland.
I wanted to study hotel management, and my objective was to
rotate through all the departments at the resort before I went
to college for my degree. My first job was in the kitchen where
everybody spoke German. The Executive Sous Chef was English,
however, and thankfully took me under his wing. Over time, I
became friends with everybody there because they wanted to know
more about American culture and they realized that I genuinely
enjoyed the work and loved the atmosphere. The comradery that
came from that experience inspired me to continue in this field, and
it was a special feeling to be a part of a superb culinary team.
Tell us about Marcus Samuelsson.
It was also in Interlaken at the hotel kitchen where I met Marcus
Samuelsson. He was working his station and saw me trying to figure
out what was going on. Fortunately for me, Marcus was raised in
Sweden and spoke perfect English. We became close friends, hung
out together, went to movies, etc. Even after I left Switzerland, he
came to visit me in New York and stayed at my family’s home for
a few days. We reunited a few years later when I worked a few
months at Aquavit with Marcus. It was an experience I will never
forget!
Gray Kunz is quite the man in the kitchen, what was it like
working under him?
Volume 3 • Issue 40
41