INGOOD TASTE
Candid conversations with the dining scene’s most engaging chefs
Daniel Ferri, Owner and
Head Chef, The Lamplighter
The Lamplighter
6566 State Route 22,
Delmont; 724.468.4545,
thelamplighterdelmont.com
On the Menu:
With several big concepts coming out
of the same kitchen, there is the Coffee
Shop menu, which serves breakfast all day
such as the Delmont Country Breakfast
(2 pancakes, 2 eggs, 2 strips of bacon,
home fries, toast and juice), the Steak &
Eggs (2 eggs to order, home fries, toast
and New York Strip Steak), homebaked
specialties, made-to-order omelets, hot
cereal and a variety of juices. The Coffee
Shop also offers a lunch and dinner menu
of appetizers, homemade soups, special-
ty salads, Grilled Pork Chops, a Seafood
Platter, Lobster Mac ‘n Cheese, Linguine
Marinara, Portabella Stack, Grilled Panini
& Ciabatta sandwiches and a selection
of Ferri Good Burgers that pair well with
a choice of specialty shakes. Menu items
offered in the main Dining Room include
appetizers from Homemade Spinach &
Artichoke Dip, Provolone Sticks and Zuc-
chini Planks, to Seared Sesame Tuna and
Cheddar Cheese Fondue; specialty salads
such as the Caesar Salad for Two, Spinach
Salad and Bistro Chicken or Steak Salads;
homemade soups and a vegetable bar.
Entrees range from a Champagne Dinner
for Two, The Godfather (pair of lobster
dainties, two slices of Filet Mignon, Spa-
ghetti Aglio e Olio and garlic toast), and
Penne from Heaven, to Chicken Monterey
The Lamplighter New York Strip Steak.
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724.942.0940 TO ADVERTISE
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and seafood and sandwich platters, to
name a few. In the lounge a monthly wine
dinner and themes with wine tastings are
offered. Accompanying dinner is a chance
to take to the dance floor, enjoy live bands
every weekend, and bar specials.
Describe The Lamplighter.
We are a full-service restaurant
with four different dining areas,
including a Coffee Shop, the
Dining Room, a Lounge and
smaller private rooms. We also offer catering
for large-scale events.
Q A
How do you decide on the menu?
My son, Andrew, is responsible with dining
trends and the menu. My thoughts are from
20 years ago; however Andrew keeps up-to-
speed, such as deciding what we pair with our
wine dinners, for example. We do, however,
keep classic dish menus for our customers
who expect to see them on there and who are
looking for homemade consistency. We offer
daily specials and call our seafood suppliers a
couple of times a week for fresh fish. Our team
of chefs are given free rein to create concept
dishes. We have two breakfast cooks, two
bakers, two salad prep cooks, three line cooks
and a banquet chef—and we need them all
since our menus are extensive.
What experience inspired you to become
a chef?
In my teens, my cousin owned the Holiday
House in Monroeville. He had a lot of
celebrities booked there, including acts such as
Frankie Avalon, Phyllis Diller, Tony Bennett,
Milton Berle and Johnny Carson. At 13 years
old, he started me in the kitchen to cook.
When I was drafted in 1963 I was trained as
a cook in the Army at Fort Knox, Kentucky. I
attended The Cook and Bakers School. When
I came home I told my brothers we needed a
restaurant, and we bought The Lamplighter in
May 1967. The man who owned it was Richard
Wright and at that time we wanted to buy his
restaurant, he wanted to buy the Lakeview
Country Club—so it all worked out.
What is your favorite meal to cook at
home?
I learned a dish from the original chef who
worked at the restaurant called Tenderloin Tips
of Beef. I make it in a white wine sauce with
mushrooms, lemon, salt, pepper and sauté it in
garlic butter.
icmags.com
Daniel Ferri, Owner and Head Chef, The Lamplighter.
What kitchen tool can’t you live without?
There are so many kitchen tools I can’t live
without, but there is no substitute for a chef ’s
knife.
What is your favorite quick meal to
prepare at home?
Polenta, because it’s simple. It’s corn meal and
water mixed with cheese. My mother made
Polenta with pot roast—it was a family favorite.
What is your favorite go-to ingredient?
Béchamel or cream sauce. It’s been known as a
mother sauce in the culinary field and it’s the
base of so many dishes. We make at least two
gallons daily.
Other than your restaurant, where’s your
favorite place to eat?
I don’t get out much. Although there are many
that are good, I don’t patronize the chains. I
like to go to independent places. There’s a place
in the North Hills called Rico’s Restaurant.
They’re really on their game with good Italian
and seafood dishes.
What advice can you share with a
novice?
Make sure you taste and sample what you
make. Follow recipes, because consistency is
paramount. It’s a long working day and a long
working week. To be good and to be on top of
what you’re doing, it’s an everyday effort.
What’s the next big food or dining trend?
So many people are on special diets—from
vegan and gluten free, to sugar free. There was
once a customer who couldn’t eat any veggies
grown from the ground. Many restaurants’
dishes are pre-made meals they heat and serve.
We’re not a restaurant that follows trends, and
the next big thing might just be something
classic and traditional, like us. We create meals
from beginning to end. n
—Reese Randall