5 Comforting Dishes That Top Chefs Are Making at Home

The pressures of the pandemic have inspired many of us to be more resourceful in the kitchen and learn new tricks; for others, it’s made us admit that we have a long way to go in the cooking department. No matter where you fall, the six chefs we spoke to have strategies for being creative with what you have at home, and ideas for creating meals that are both comforting and delicious.

Dominique Crenn (Atelier Crenn)

Dominique Crenn, the first female chef in the United States to receive three Michelin stars, is the visionary behind San Francisco’s Atelier Crenn. For the past few months, Crenn has been enjoying time at home with her fiancé and children, and at Atelier Crenn, the team is giving back to the community through delicious food. "We are creating dishes for our community, so I’ve been able to go into the kitchen and cook a bit," she says. "Being extremely careful and following all protocol, of course." 

Crenn’s scaled-back home kitchen may not have the wide range of tools available at her establishments, but that hasn’t stopped her from experimenting and playing with flavor: "I believe a lot in preserving and fermenting. This is a time when you can be looking into how to make your own vinegars, pickles, canning your vegetables, making kimchi….There is time to work on these projects that are delicious, good for the planet, and good for your body!" 

Out of all the tools available at Atelier Crenn, Crenn has been missing the smoker most. "I love the flavor of smoke; I infuse broths and creams with smoke at the restaurant to give them depth," she says. "I suppose I could have one in my home, but it would make the entire building smell quite strongly!"  

Dominique Crenn’s Ratatouille

The comforting staple Crenn returns to time and again is ratatouille. "It’s such a simple dish, but it’s so visually appealing and is absolutely delicious," she says. It’s not only a favorite for Crenn, but for the entire family: "My six-year-old daughters are extremely healthy and love fruit and vegetables so much. I love coming up with colorful dishes for them, often using produce from our farm."

How to make restaurant-quality ratatouille? Crenn explains: "Onion, garlic, red pepper, crushed tomatoes on the bottom with your herbs...I personally love using basil, zucchini, tomato, eggplant, and yellow squash on top. I slice all of them very thinly into disks. Then you have so much fun layering them one after the other to create a wheel around your dish—I love the shallow roasting dishes from Le Creuset—until you have this beautiful kaleidoscope of colors before you. Olive oil, salt, pepper, and then into the oven to roast at a high heat.

"You don’t need much with this; it’s a meal in itself. Good bread. Delicious French cheese. And a glass of rosé….It’s like being in the south of France. You feel satisfied, but also light."  

Angie Rito and Scott Tacinelli (Don Angie)

Angie Rito and Scott Tacinelli, the husband-and-wife team behind the West Village’s lauded Italian spot Don Angie, are "sticking this out" in their one-bedroom apartment in Brooklyn. 

"We definitely miss being at the restaurant and our staff and customers, but we are fortunate that most of our family and friends are staying safe and well during these times, and that is the most important thing," they say.