Portrait of a Chef

SARAH GRUENEBERG

by KATE BERNOT

A Texas girl at heart, Sarah Grueneberg is the executive chef at Michelin-starred Spiaggia restaurant in Chicago, and was the runner-up on the most recent season of Top Chef. Working with mentor Tony Mantuano, Sarah has continued his tradition of authentic, elegant food inspired by the ingredients, language, and people of Italy.

how has your cooking evolved over your career?

My career started in Houston, Texas, with Creole, Cajun, and Texas cuisine. I really focused on the farms, game meat, and Gulf Coast seafood. Then, when I moved [to Chicago], it was Italian. I really tried to learn and study and be as well educated on Italian cuisine as I could. I fell in love with it, and that really became my choice of cuisine.

what’s the best bite of food you’ve ever had in italy?

Wow, there’s been so much. Probably the eggplant parmigiano in Rome at Grano Restaurant. I was like “Holy Shit.” I realized, “Wow, this has been made incorrectly my entire life.” It’s made without bread crumbs, and not a ton of cheese. I do it now at the restaurant when eggplants are in season and people just rave about it.

what’s the worst sin committed by americans cooking italian food?

Cooking pasta first with unseasoned water and then pouring the sauce on afterwards. Marry the pasta and the sauce together by cooking the pasta with the sauce [in a sauté pan].

what three items are always in your home fridge?

Parmigiano-Reggiano, no-fat Greek yogurt —I eat that daily—and kombucha. I’m on a big kick with kombucha. I just bought twelve jars the other day.

if you weren’t a chef, what would you be doing?

When I was a little girl, I wanted to be a marine biologist or archeologist, but I don’t know that that’s still true. I love history, and I tie my love of food together with the history of Italy, so maybe I’d be a historian.

how did top chef fit into that?

On Top Chef, you realize that these judges have seen everything, and the dishes that I might love to make and that I believe in so much aren’t enough to wow them. You have to start forcing yourself out of your comfort zone. I want to keep looking for other ingredients [that are] out there that I can integrate into my style.

This squid ink tagliatelle with spot prawns and coconut was the first course that Sarah Grueneberg prepared on the Top Chef Season 9 finale.