Cargo shorts and orange Crocs: They’re not just for the kitchen. Ask Mario Batali — the exuberant chef-restaurateur, food television superstar and author also takes his Crocs to the crops.
Batali’s cuisine may be Mediterranean, but his sources are local. A farmers market frequenter and longtime forager, Batali partnered with the New York Botanical Garden to develop Mario Batali’s Kitchen Gardens within The Edible Garden; his portion includes a series of activities and special events centered around his recipes and family cooking.
His reign over Manhattan’s Italian restaurant-scape has been sweeping as well: Clean Plates-approved Babbo, Del Posto, OTTO Enoteca Pizzeria, Lupa Osteria Romano and hybrid marketplace and eatery sensation, Eataly.
Batali gave us the scoop on The Edible Garden, being an Italophile and locavore, duck testicles at the kids’ table and what he’s chewing on, at home and on set. Continue reading
