The Paper Moon Master Chief Cooking Class (much more a demo than an actual cooking class) was a hoot in terms of taste, technique and the overall experience.

Let me start by apologizing to my mother, the award winning New York City Chef, who quivers at the idea of me making a bowl of cereal. I’m certain she’s had many sleepless nights over the idea of me handling anything sharper than a butter knife.  With my ineptness in the kitchen established, I dragged my legs into a Master Chief Cooking Class.  A class that I surely thought would end in bloodshed.

Fortunately, the unflappable Chef/Ninja Fabrizzo was the only one handling the knives, phew! Speaking of which, his knife skills were beyond impressive.  He effortlessly diced away holding a knife, a conversation, and eye contact (cue anxiety, I really wish he would watch where he was cutting.) Fear not, the ever-modest Chef Fabrizzo manages 8 Paper Moon locations globally and has been doing this for a while with excellent tricks up his sleeves.

We were lucky enough to be on hand for the unveiling of the chefs’ new signature appetizer the Croccante Di Mozzarella. A gently fried polenta served as a shell for what would be a delectable combination of mozzarella, tomato, and basil, which was ultimately topped by a little onion tropea and olive oil for good measure.  Initially, I had planned to only eat half and save myself for the Tiramisu that Chef had just whipped up; safe to say that didn’t happen.

The experience was a pleasure from A-Z. We munched away on some eggplant pizza, as the chef fielded questions from the admiring onlookers.  The optimal word here being admiring, “how cute is he!’ someone gushed, he lead us through a very informative and detailed cooking tutorial.  The ever-fluid Chef wasn’t afraid to get his hands dirty as he rolled up his sleeves and began whisking away after a mechanical whisk hiccup. He ascended to rock star status as he popped off some Italian lingo that I didn’t understand but definitely sounded cool.

The chef discussed the challenges of getting imported Italian items, as they are not available locally.  It’s safe to say his efforts aren’t in vain; his warm personality and allure are evident in the Croccante Di Mozzarella.

Next time you’re thinking of going out for a gastronomical experience, step into Paper Moon for a great evening.

Let us know what you think in the comments section below!

Written by: Sharif Salameh