Valley Table: The Next Next Food
Star
Some restaurants are just born of a positive vibe
They embody a young restaurateur’s dreams and passions and extend the path of his or her culinary training like a contrail in the sky. Other restaurants, like The Cookery in Dobbs Ferry, open because the chef/owner has learned the hard way what he doesn’t want to do with his life.
In 2009, Chef David DiBari found himself cooking in Westchester after a two-year stint at Manhattan’s Babbo under Chef Mario Batali. The young CIA grad had done turns at Manhattan’s Danube, Patroon and Bouley, but, like other talented young chefs, he accepted executive chef positions as soon as they promised a livable wage. His first, at Eastchester Fish Market, earned him an Excellent rating in The New York Times. His second, at Zuppa in Yonkers, brought high praise for the food and for its siting in the century-old Yonkers Gazette warehouse.