No. 80
Scott Conant:
A Vintage Selection from 2005
The Banter
The Guys answer a listener’s question about foie gras and give a major beer manufacturer some advice.
The Conversation
The Restaurant Guys talk to Scott Conant, chef of L'Impero and Alto about Italian and Italian-American food and why some have difficulty accepting it as high cuisine.
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Scott Conant
While at the Culinary Institute of America, Scott interned at the famous New York City restaurant San Domenico, an experience that had a decisive impact on his career. After a year in Munich, he returned to the United States and San Domenico then onto Il Toscanaccio and later executive chef at City Eatery in New York City.
In September 2002, Scott opened L'Impero in New York City. Within weeks, the restaurant received a rave three-star review from The New York Times. Food & Wine went on to name him one of America's "Best New Chefs" in 2004.
Following L'Impero, Scott went on to open Alto, a sophisticated Italian restaurant in midtown Manhattan that offered his interpretation of Italian cuisine.
Scott left L'Impero and Alto in 2007 and, in 2008, opened Scarpetta in Manhattan.
In 2018, he debuted Italian steakhouse Cellaio at in Monticello, New York. He opened The Americano at the newly renovated InterContinental Buckhead Atlanta in Georgia in 2022.
Since 2007 he has been a judge on numerous cooking shows such as Chopped and Beat Bobby Flay. His newest Food Network competition show, House of Knives, debuts March 2025.
He is the author of four cookbooks.
THE INSIDE TRACK
The Guys had a wonderful meal at Alto and were glad to get a chance to discuss Scott’s heritage and inspiration for his interpretation of Italian cuisine.
“I think it's important to understand the emotion behind Italian food at the same time. It's the honesty of the cuisine, the integrity of the cuisine, and the soulfulness of the product and the extraction of flavor. So, those are the catchphrases that I try to live by,”
Scott Conant on The Restaurant Guys Podcast 2005
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