The Bravo TV show Top Chef Masters began April 6, 2011, and one of the contestants is Kansas City resident Celina Tio, chef and owner of the restaurant Julian in Brookside.
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Kansas City, MO – Celina Tio made a name for herself as executive chef of the American Restaurant, winning the James Beard Foundation's Best Chef: Midwest award in 2007.
KCUR's Susan B. Wilson caught up with Celina Tio at her current restaurant Julian, and watched her cook one of her signature pasta dishes:
1 lb. strotzapretti pasta
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 shallot, chopped
1 12 ounce can italian peeled tomatoes, blended
1/4 cup Shatto heavy cream
4 ounces sliced speck or prosciutto
Salt and pepper to taste
2 ounces grana padano cheese, freshly grated with a micro plane
In a saut? pan over medium-high heat, put in the olive oil with garlic and shallots. Heat until they just start to turn golden brown. Add the tomatoes, heavy cream and finally prosciutto. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper and add the cooked strotzapretti pasta and cook until pasta is heated thoroughly.
Garnish with Grana Padano cheese.
We originally spoke to Celina Tio when she was on the Food Network show The Next Iron Chef in the fall. She's now competing in Top Chef Masters.
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