Chef's Corner

  • Chef Massimo De Francesca
  • NIOS
  • The Muse Hotel, New York

  • Bio: As diverse and vibrant as New York City itself, Canadian-born chef Massimo De Francesca brings an individualistic approach to international cuisine at NIOS restaurant, adjacent to Kimpton's The Muse New York. Blending influences from kitchens around the world, from Italy to the Caribbean, De Francesca celebrates fresh, seasonal ingredients in a menu inspired by global flavors and culinary traditions.

    Massimo graduated from the Culinary Arts (Italian) Program at George Brown College in Toronto, where he spent part of his time on Italy's Adriatic Coast working with Michelin-starred chef Vincenzo Cammerucci at Lido Hotel. When Massimo moved back to Toronto, he was fortunate to work under the tutelage of world-class French chef Jean Pierre Challet for several years before taking off to the sunny Caribbean where he worked at resorts and privately owned restaurants. Upon moving to the United States, Massimo joined the Kimpton Restaurants team as executive chef of Hotel Palomar's Domaso Trattoria Moderna in Arlington, VA.

    De Francesca has been excited to share his passion with the "Big Apple" ever since his visit in 2000, when he cooked at the James Beard House with Jean Pierre Challet.

    As executive chef of NIOS, Massimo infuses the menu with fresh interpretations of classic preparations. His eclectic selection of small plates and enjoyable pre-theatre menu complement the restaurant's appeal and elegance.

Featured Recipe:

    Smoked Mozzarella Carbonara

    • Ingredients for pasta
    • 5 Qt Water
    • 10 Tbsp Salt for boiling pasta
    • 6 Egg yolks
    • 16 oz 35% heavy cream
    • 3 oz Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, finely grated
    • 1 Tbsp dried green peppercorns, coarsely ground
    • 2 Tbsp Butter
    • 12 oz Nueske's smoked bacon, thinly sliced in ½-inch matchsticks
    • 2 cloves Garlic, finely chopped
    • 3 oz Shallot/white onion, finely chopped
    • Salt and Pepper to taste
    • 1 lb Chitarra or spaghetti, dry or fresh
    • 1/4 bunch Parsley, finely chopped
    • 2 Tbsp Smoked mozzarella
    • 1 Quail egg/person (optional)
    • 1 oz Pecorino tartufato cheese, grated on top with microplane

    Fill medium pot with water. Bring to boil and add salt.

    In bowl, add yolks and 6oz of heavy cream. Add 1.5 oz of grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and green peppercorns and mix smooth with hand held blender. Set aside and keep warm. In a medium sauté pan, add butter and smoked bacon sticks. Cook on medium heat slowly until fat renders, about 3-5 minutes. Add finely chopped garlic and shallots and cook for 4 minutes. Add rest of heavy cream and bring to simmer and reduce by half. Take off heat. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add pasta to boiling water and cook until desired doneness. Once cooked, strain and add to sauté pan and toss. Off heat, add egg yolk mixture and stir vigorously, coating through until pasta is thickened by yolks. Return to a low heat and continue to stir until sauce thickens. Add chopped parsley and Parmigiano-Reggiano to garnish. Smear about 2 Tablespoons of smoked mozzarella on the bottom of plate or platter of your choice. With a serrated knife, cut off the top third pointy part of the quail egg's shell (one egg/person if desired); separate the egg white from the yolk, place the yolk back in the shell for presentation purpose. Grate a little pile of Parmigiano-Reggiano (about 1 tsp worth) to create a little nest on the plate to rest the egg yolk as garnish. Scoop about 3-4 oz per person and garnish with 3 crispy cubes of bacon. Then take the truffled pecorino and microplane an entire "cloud's" worth on top of each portion.


  • Featured Product:

    Microplane

    Please call (888-546-4268) or email Customer Service for more information on the Microplane

    "Use your microplane to zest citrus fruits, ginger, grate crusty bread, chocolate, frozen fruits, nutmeg, carpentry…wooden shelves…you get the idea." - Massimo De Francesca

  • Ingredients for smoked mozzarella puree
    • 16 oz Fresh mozzarella
    • Applewood chips for smoking
    • 6 oz White wine
    • 1 Garlic clove
    • 3 oz Shallots
    • 2 Bay leaves
    • 1 bunch Thyme
    • 12 oz Heavy cream
    • Pinch ground Nutmeg (grate on mircoplane)
    • Pinch Salt
    • Pinch ground Black pepper ground

    Place mozzarella in smoker (you can make your own smoker by adding wood chips to steel pan and top chips with foil paper). Rest mozzarella ball on top of foil, cover and bring to heat slowly. You may also purchase smoked mozzarella already, but it's not as tasty as the creamy fresh product house-smoked. Once the ball has achieved the desired "smoked" aroma, set aside to cool. Then cut into small half-inch cubes and set aside. Add white wine, garlic, shallots, and herbs to medium sauce pot and reduce until almost dry. Add 12oz of heavy cream, and slowly reduce, by a little more than half. Strain cream mixture into another small pot, add smoked mozzarella cubes and begin to melt the cheese, about 2 minutes. Add to a blender and blend on high speed. Add ground nutmeg (about 6-10 grates on the microplane), salt and pepper. Blend briefly again.

    Ingredients for crispy bacon cubes
    • 10 oz Nueske's Bacon, cut into 1.5inch x 1.5 inch for garnish
    • 20 oz Beef or chicken stock, to simmer bacon cubes until tender
    • 8oz Vegetable oil, to fry bacon cubes crispy
    • 5oz Prepared Demi-glace, to cover bacon

    Place bacon cubes in stock, bring to boil then simmer for about 1.5 hours or until cubes become tender. Set aside. Place vegetable oil in medium sauce pot, heat to 345/F and begin to fry the cubes until crispy, between 3-5 minutes.

    Recommended Wine Pairing: Wine-Trebbiano D'Abuzzo, Masciarelli (barrel aged)