Chris Cosentino

Chris Cosentinois an American celebrity chef andreality televisionpersonality known as the winner ofTop Chef Masters, a competitor onThe Next Iron Chefand for his appearances onIron Chef America. He is known for hishaute cuisineoffaldishes, and was chef-partner atIncantoinSan Francisco.Forbes TravelercalledIncanto"perhaps America's most adventurous nose-to-tail restaurant … On offer are lamb's necks, pig trotters and a five-course nose-to-tailtasting menuperhaps includingvenisonkidneysandchocolate-bloodpanna cotta." Incanto closed on March 24, 2014. In December 2014, he opened Cockscomb, a restaurant centered around his updated interpretations of classic San Francisco dishes.
In 2017 he published the cookbookOffal Good: Cooking from the Heart, with Guts, and he maintains an offal-themed website, "Offal Good".
Chris Cosentino was raised inRhode Islandand is a 1994 graduate ofJohnson & Wales University.In 2018, Cosentino gave a cooking demonstration to students at his alma mater, during which he offered students career advice to achieve their goals. While there, he also had a chance to thank one of his mentors, a chef,Jacques Pepin.  He cited Pepin's cookbooks,La TechniqueandLa Methode, with their detail and step-by-step illustrations as helping him deal withdyslexiaandattention deficit disorder. Explaining what these books and Pepin's influence meant to him, Cosentino said that having dyslexia and attention deficit disorder prevented him from being able to read traditional textbooks and cookbooks.
Raised in anItalian Americancommunity, he has stated that he hatedoffalas a child, especially thetripehisItaliangrandmother prepared.Since becoming a chef himself, however, he has embraced a "whole-animal ethic": "What I try to do is make people understand a whole-animal ethic. When people realize that this is a whole animal, that there is more than just the skeletalmeats, sometimes that makes people step back and they might not order any meat. They might have avegetableentrée. Putting a face on what you're eating sometimes opens your eyes a lot."
Cosentino worked at Mark Miller'sRed Sageand later atKinkead's, in Washington, D.C. He then moved to San Francisco'sRubicon, which was owned byFrancis Ford Coppola,Robin WilliamsandRobert De Niro. He went on to work at several prestigious restaurants, such as theCoach HouseonMartha's Vineyardand Bay Area restaurantsChez PanisseandBelon. He was then hired as a consultant to theAquarestaurant group. While working with them, he opened several restaurants, including the highly acclaimedNobhillat theMGM GrandinLas Vegas.
After 2002, Cosentino worked atIncantoin the San Francisco neighborhoodNoe Valley, serving as the executive chef.Local restaurant critics noted an upturn in food quality atIncantoafter he took over.Working with co-owner Mark Pastore, Cosentino created a rustic Italian menu that included cuts of meat from whole animals andfish, including what would usually be discarded or used as an ingredient in animal feed.In 2007, Incanto held their fourth annual "Head-to-Tail Dinner."
In 2007, Cosentino opened asalumerianamedBoccalone: Tasty Salted Pig Partsin San Francisco'sFerry Building.This new company was following in his family's traditions, as his mother's family ranEaston's Sausage Companyin Newport, Rhode Island from 1860 to 1942. He uses many of the original recipes from Easton's for Boccalone products. Under Cosentino's direction,Incantolaunched acharcuterieselection, with all products cured in-house and ranging frommortadellatofennelsalume,sweetbreadterrines, and salt-curedporkliver. This product line is based on thecommunity-supported agriculture(CSA) concept in which providing locally grown produce is the focus. Cosentino credits the late chef Jean-Louis Palladin with teaching him never to cook for reviews but only for the diners and himself. Palladin was an avid hunter and taught Chris to be realistic and respectful about the fate of an animal going from the farmyard or the forest to the dinner plate.
In October 2007 Cosentino was a contestant onThe Next Iron Chef, competing with his former mentor atRubicon,Traci Des Jardins, still a close friend.On the third episode, whenMichael Symongave himsquabas a secret ingredient, his first action was to check the cavities for offal. It was implied that Symon had removed the innards; when Cosentino discovered this, Symon quipped, "No guts, no glory."In episode 7, 'Lead and Inspire', he was the last chef eliminated before the final battle. In November 2007, he was featured at the end of aModern Marvelsepisode about pigs, during which he showed his expertise in cooking porkbrain.
In August 2009, he and fellowThe Next Iron ChefcontestantAarón Sánchezbegan hostingChefs vs. Cityon the Food Network. Each week they traveled to a different city, taking on two local chefs in a variety of food-related challenges. Repeated consumption ofchili peppersresulted in Cosentino's suffering third-degree alkalineburnsin his digestive system and losing intestinalmotility. This injury took five years to heal.
Cosentino is regularly featured on episodes of the Food Network seriesThe Best Thing I Ever Ate.
He considers single-varietal extra-virginolive oilswith their distinctive flavors as his culinary secret weapon.Cosentino's involvement with local farmers' markets has enabled him to develop close relationships with local food producers. These relationships are very important to him and allow him to be involved in the production of meat and other ingredients he uses in his many specialties. He has been especially dedicated to the San Francisco Ferry Plaza Farmers' Market.
In his spare time Cosentino cycles on rugged Northern California mountain-biking trails on a one-speed bicycle, participates in endurance rides, and spends time with his wife "Treat Maven" and young son.
In 2011 it was announced that Cosentino is teaming up with the publishers ofWolverineto write a comic book. In addition to helping out with the story, he'll also be featured as a character.He has authored a cookbook,Beginnings: My Way to Start a Meal, published in May 2012. Michael Harlan Turkell is the photographer for the book, and Traci Des Jardin wrote the foreword.The book contains recipes for dishes for first courses (most vegetable-based, not meat-based, despite Cosentino's specialty), but also includes philosophy and reproduced handwritten notes and sketches. It is laid out by seasons.
In March 2012, Cosentino partnered withAdam Fleischmanand opened PIGG, "a tribute to all things pork around the world", at UMAMIcatessen in Los Angeles.UMAMIcatessen is a three-part cafeteria-style dining establishment on the ground floor of the Orpheum Lofts at 9th and Broadway.
On September 26, 2012, Cosentino won season four ofTop Chef MastersonBravo, raising $141,000 for theMichael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research.
Cosentino and his partner announced on March 5, 2014, that they would close Incanto to open Porcellino at the same location. It was to be a more casual neighborhood dining option/retail space.With the opening of Cockscomb, however, it was closed.Cockscomb focuses on classic San Francisco cuisine more than to Italy. Oysters and shellfish are a major aspect of what the restaurant offers.
In 2016, Cosentino announced that he would open Jackrabbit, his first restaurant outside of California, in Portland, Oregon.
On October 21, 2020, Cosentino announced "We are closing Cockscomb permanently."