I cold-called Escopazzo out of our restaurant database and said, "Hey, I'm from the newspaper, what are you doing for Wine & Food?" Sommelier Rich DiGacomo had great answers for me. He talked about the Food Network, Rachel Ray, Key West prawns and drinking. Here's what he had to say:
DiGacomo: We're part of a Tyler Florence party. That's a big chef's party. We're cooking for all the chefs in town Thursday night, all the chefs from Miami, all the chefs from the Food Network. We filmed with Rachel Ray, for her new TV show Rachel Ray's Tasty Travels."
New Times: What'd she eat?
RD: Lemme go ask the chef, hold on.... She had a Wild Boar Pate and an Eggplant Tortino, it's like a little eggplant cake, like eggplant Parmesan.
For the Tyler Florence party we're doin 1,000 appetizers, a special, Key West Prawns with Cannellini Beans."
NT: What happens if you run out of shrimp, er, prawns?
RD: Well there's a 1,000 I hope we don't run out, then it's time to drink.
NT: What kind of wine would you put with the prawns?
RD: I'd do a nice Jermann Vintage Tunina, that's a special white wine.
NT: Would you ever do a reality show?
RD: Yeah, I'm working on one, I'm working on a special sommelier show, I got a couple chefs on board, just need to get a couple more sommeliers. It's in the works.
