As a chef, I spend a lot of time tasting my way through ingredients, tracing their stories back to the hands and traditions that brought them here, and paying attention to how they shine best. I’m always thinking of what’s in season, what makes a dish stand out, and what truly deserves a chef’s kiss.
Chef POV is where I share what I’m currently drawn to – ingredients, producers, markets, and the Italian culinary traditions and convivialita’ that I cherish most. I believe deeply in the beauty of simplicity: choosing high quality ingredients and allowing them to speak for themselves. From specialty pantry staples and kitchen essentials to regional discoveries, restaurant finds, and entertaining inspiration, this column is a collection of the things that continue to inspire me both in and out of the kitchen.
If there’s an ingredient, product, region, or restaurant you’d like to see featured in Chef POV, send me your suggestions or questions to paolamarocchi55@gmail.com; I’d love to hear from you!
WHERE CHEFS SHOP FOR INGREDIENTS ….AND YOU CAN TOO
From fresh pastas and aged balsamic vinegars to peak season produce and Italian pantry staples, the best Italian cooking begins with the right ingredients. For this Chef POV, I compiled a list of chef’s favorite products and suppliers of them which are also available to home cooks. Whether you’re recreating a rustic Tuscan dinner or simply upgrading your weeknight pasta, these are the places that can help you make a delicious meal and inspire your culinary creativity.
While all of the locations recommended are in NYC, most of them, with the exception of the farmer’s market and one shop, have online shopping options with shipping available nationwide. As for the farmer’s market, please substitute your local market for mine.
Union Square Greenmarket
Some people dream of Gucci or Cartier, but as a chef, the label I care most about is the farmer’s stamp on a crate of just-picked, locally grown apples. It fills my heart with joy to wander through the stands at the Union Square Farmer’s Market and find a rotating assortment of peak fruit and vegetables, gifts from the land of undeniable quality that require very little manipulation to create a delicious dish. Like me, chefs from NYC restaurants take time out of their busy schedules to personally choose and find inspiration in the ripest heirloom tomatoes, the most fragrant basil or the week’s wild ramp harvest.
Established in 1976, what started with a small group of farmers, has grown into a vibrant market of over 140 stands, offering fresh produce and also farmstead cheeses, artisan breads, flowers, wine, maple syrup, and more. Operated by the environmental, nonprofit group GrowNYC, the market is open year-round on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Participating farmers must adhere to “producer only” standards which means they can only sell what they themselves grow, bake, catch, or raise.
Buying from the market means having access to peak-season ingredients that haven’t spent days traveling through a supply chain and finding specialty products you might not encounter elsewhere like regional cheeses, small-batch maple syrup, or orchard fruit varieties. Some of my favorites include apples from Samascott Orchards, especially the Ambrosia apple with its honey sweet flavor and crispy texture; spinach from Migliorelli Farm, anything and everything from Nordwich Farms, and (at numerous stands) the Sicilian eggplants and tomatoes that bloom in summer.
Sogno Toscano
An Italian ingredient importer and lifestyle café, Sogno Toscano reminds us that Tuscany, and Italy in general, is a food lover’s dream. Sourcing high quality ingredients from diverse regions in Italy, Sogno Toscano supplies chefs and home cooks alike with a curated selection of authentic kitchen staples rooted in tradition for the modern cook. The offerings include artisanal dry and fresh pasta with gluten free options, a selection of cheeses and meats, aged balsamic vinegars, jams, chocolates, and even beverages. For the holidays, delicious Panettone packaged in beautifully decorated tins are available as well as Colomba and Easter Eggs.
Their products can be purchased online, with free shipping across the US on nonperishable purchases over $99. In addition, Sogno Toscano extends its food culture into lifestyle cafes where guests can enjoy espresso, Aperitivo and simple Italian plates in a relaxed setting that feels like a slice of Tuscany in the city.
Buon Italia
For decades, Buon’Italia has been a trusted source for chefs looking for true Italian pantry staples and regional specialties. With a retail store located inside Chelsea Market in NYC, as well as nationwide shipping and wholesale service, this family-run artisanal Italian food marketplace makes shopping a breeze. In addition to a selection of cheese flown in weekly from Italy, Buon’Italia offers regional specialties such as candied chestnuts and hazelnuts from Piedmont, Calabrian chili peppers, and Sicilian oregano.
NYC residents can also get same day delivery through Mercato and shoppers at their Chelsea location can enjoy espresso and panini.
Natoora
Natoora connects chefs and home cooks with small-scale growers who prioritize flavor, biodiversity, and soil health. Their standout offerings include a carefully curated Peak Season Box filled with fruits and vegetables sourced from growers across the US and Europe to exceptional individual products like Iberiko Winter Tomatoes, grown specifically in the cold months and prized for their wine-dark skins, bright acidity, and savory sweetness. Seasonal specialties also include Italian Radicchio from small farms that preserve traditional cultivation methods passed down over generations. Natoora offers next day delivery Monday through Saturday across select locations in Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens, with no minimum order but a delivery charge based on location.
SOS Chefs
A friend of chefs since 1996, this East Village specialty pantry is the place to go for rare, hard to find ingredients. All kinds of herbs and spices, honeys, extracts, oils, fennel pollen, Sicilian pistachios, dried blood orange, saffron, and more obscure ingredients like olive seed powder, a cacio e pepe peppercorn blend, as well as products from all over the world. Order online or peruse their NYC shop and discover ingredients you’ve never heard of before.
