Chef Stefano Secchi unveils Grub Street diet
Chef Stefano Secchi spent the past week juggling marathon training, early‑morning coffee rituals and back‑to‑back menu tastings at his two New York kitchens while still recovering from a fire that shut his Flatiron eatery, Massara, for a full year.
Pre‑dawn runs and a strict coffee habit
Secchi rises around 4:30 a.m., meditates briefly, then laces up for a solo run before the city wakes. He says the quiet streets let him clear his head without dodging traffic.
After the jog he prepares a moka‑pot espresso and an omelet with Havarti and avocado. His wife now shares the plate, turning the breakfast into a joint ritual.
Mid‑morning tea is a habit he inherited from his English mother. He mixes jasmine pearls with English Breakfast and pairs the brew with a slice of cheese—often Parmigiano, Manchego or a New Zealand cheddar.
“It’s a weird combination of sweet and salty just before dinner service, and it’s absolutely delicious,” he notes, hinting that a tea‑and‑cheese pairing could catch on.
He repeats the same a.m. schedule each day, a flat routine that reads like a checklist: wake, meditate, run, coffee, omelet, tea.
Testing new dishes at two kitchens
At Rezdôra the chef is flipping the lunch menu, sampling dishes such as tortello di friggione and a halibut preparation with fennel and pomodorini. The fish, sourced from Norway and western Spain, is a departure from traditional Italian fare.
He also keeps a block of Parmigiano‑Reggiano on a cutting board for his line cooks, a ritual dating back to his time at the Culinary Institute of America and his stint in Italy.
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In the wood‑burning oven of Massara, Secchi trials a seasonal pizza topped with Sungold purée, spring onion, mozzarella di bufala and guanciale. The dough undergoes an 18‑hour ferment before a second rise, a process he can oversee on a Sunday.
While tasting, he sips espresso and evaluates purées and pastas, noting that the live‑fire flavor is essential for Campanian‑style dishes.
“Dinner” on a testing day can be as simple as an espresso because the lunch tasting leaves him full.
Family market runs and home‑made staples
Saturday mornings find the Secchi family at the Union Square Greenmarket, picking tomatoes from Eckerton Hill Farm, berries, and other summer produce. The kids ride in the family van while Secchi loads the haul for the restaurants.
Back at home he makes yogurt in a Luvele machine, using milk from Battenkill Farms. The batch ferments for 24 hours, then rests another 12 before he whisks it thick, adding no stabilizers.
Sunday’s kitchen work includes simmering a Northern Italian pomodoro sauce for six to seven hours, then tossing spaghetti with the slow‑cooked sauce, Parmigiano and a side of grilled cod and flat beans from the market.
He caps the meal with a glass of Barolo from Piemonte, a wine he describes as “Damonte‑Secchi” after his son’s godfather’s label.
His children finish the evening with a traditional Caffè Panna and a short passeggiata around the neighborhood.
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Incognito dining and future plans
Secchi tries to slip into Rezdôra unnoticed, though his six‑day workweek makes it hard to find a free slot. He says eating at his own place lets him experience the service from a guest’s perspective and spot improvement areas.
During a recent dinner the menu featured mozzarella di bufala with pomodorini in three styles, classic gnocco fritto, a fennel‑and‑stone‑fruit salad, pisarei with braised duck ragù, tagliolini with ragù Modenese, and a cotoletta “modo Bolognese” topped with Parmigiano and prosciutto.
Executive pastry chef Dominique Canvin contributed new desserts, including a warm olive‑oil cake that arrived at the table alongside the main courses.
Secchi is also preparing to take over the historic former Gotham Bar and Grill location downtown, a move that would add a third venue to his portfolio.
He spends occasional afternoons at places like marathon training runs and tea at Tiffany & Co., where head chef Raphaëlle Bergeon hosts a “tea time” with jasmine and English Breakfast blends.
His schedule this week was a mix of disciplined training, family market trips, rigorous menu trials and brief moments of indulgence at friends’ cafés.
Looking ahead, the chef’s regimented routine may give his kitchens a steady hand as they handle post‑fire recovery and new expansion. Consistent early‑morning workouts could sustain the stamina needed for long service nights, while the emphasis on fresh, locally sourced ingredients aligns with current diner expectations. If he maintains this balance, the risk of burnout might stay low, and his restaurants could keep their reputation for reliability.
On Monday he served a family dinner of cime di rapa e salsiccia pasta, noting that his own palate remains critical enough to spot any slip in execution.
