Stage Story: Aaron Buendorf

Stage Story: Aaron Buerndorf

Aaron chose to stage at Ristorante la Madia in Licata, Italy, to connect with his roots and experience the culture through the lens of food and cooking.

I chose Ristorante la Madia in Italy because my family is from Alimena, a small town in Sicily close to Licata. I wanted to follow my family's origins and get a better understanding of our culture by eating their food and living their lifestyle. La Madia, located in Licata, achieved two Michelin stars in 2009 after receiving the first star in 2006. One of the reasons I chose to work here is because I believe that Chef Pino Cuttaia has been important to Sicily’s cuisine and bringing the attention of Michelin to Sicily. As a competitive chef, I chase this type of high accomplishment in the kitchen. Licata is also home to many farms full of beautiful produce, which allows for lots of great food in the area. It's a chef's dream.

Thanks to the Ment’or Grant, I was able to find accommodation with a host family who gave me the extra room in their house for the duration of my stage at La Madia. They took me in like I was part of their family. They were very helpful and were always offering me food. I also had a chance to spend time with my nonna and her siblings while there. Being the new person in the kitchen, I was tasked to start at the bottom. My first job was peeling ink sacks out of squid. It was very cool learning how to break down whole squid and use all of its components. Licata is next to the Mediterranean Sea and receives a large variety of seafood so I got to see and process many types of fish and seafood during my stage. I was constantly floating prep work for all stations, as well as doing any cleaning my teammates didn't have time to do. Though the work was often tedious, it was essential for the kitchen. Chef was quick to notice my initiative and drive, so the hard work paid off.

Twice a day, everyone stopped what they were doing and sat down to eat family meal together. Chef always sat at the top of the table, with his water already poured in the cup and food on his plate. These meals were essential to my pallet training since every meal served was a Sicilian classic, such as mpignulata (a rolled up long calzone); risotto with shredded beef and tomato; and pasta al forno of shredded lamb and pecorino.

La Madia offers 3 different tasting menus, all focused on highlighting the sea of Licata. Each menu highlights creativity and imagination, which Chef Cuttaia holds dear when cooking. The following were some of my favorite courses:

Cocktail anni ‘80: Gambero di nassa (a variety of shrimp), which I peeled and prepped, blanched quickly in tomato water. It is topped with a dried tomato powder and served with a chip made out of the roasted shrimp heads, shrimp oil, and rice flour. A shrimp oil aioli is served on top of fresh lettuce from the garden of Licata.
Pillow of Mozzarella: The skin formed on the top of milk when it’s boiled, is taken out, flattened, and filled with a mozzarella espuma. It is garnished with a dried slice of tomato, baby basil, and local olive oil. A tomato coulis is then poured on top table side. I was responsible for making the tomato coulis, which is a double blended confit tomato with garlic and basil. I had to blend and strain twice, pushing through a chinois strainer.
Memoria Visiva: This dish tells the story of when Chef was a kid and his mom would serve a slab of meat, typically fish, covered in oil, salt, and pepper when they were sick. It was a symbol of care and love. For this dish I was responsible for making the intingolo (garlic/parsley oil), smashing/portioning tonno (tuna), and slicing bread on pick up.
Pescato del giorno (Fish of the day): Grouper, roasted on coals made from chestnut shells, topped with onion ash and flakey sea salt. It is served with potato puree, and onion ash oil. For this dish I helped make chestnut charcoal and potato puree.
Cannolo di Arancia e Pistacchio: Local ricotta, crushed pistachio, candied orange peel, orange marmalade, house made cannolo cornetto (cone). I experienced the process of making the ricotta and I was tasked with cutting orange for marmalade and candy.

Without my Ment’or grant, my experience would not have been possible. Not only did I gain hands-on experience in a Michelin-starred kitchen, but I also made invaluable international connections that have opened doors for future collaborations and learning experiences. The Ment’or grant allowed me to immerse myself into the culture of my family and deepen my understanding of regional recipes and traditions. This experience has fueled my passion for innovation and creativity, and has given me lots of ideas for my future. Thanks to Ment’or, I am more confident in my ability to take my culinary career to the next level.