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Cynthia

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About Me


"The number one, best Chef in the Hamptons," -New York Post
Cynthia Sestito is celebrated as an innovator in the arts of food, restaurants, and entertaining. Over the last fifteen years, she has created a constant stream of the most exciting and successful eating establishments in the Hamptons. At the same time, her events and catering organization, Cynful Food, flourishes (www.cynfulfood.com), and she continues her private chef and lifestyle management services to a select clientele.
During the last five summer seasons, Cynthia has designed and executed a series of sponsored V.I.P. dinners in private homes throughout the Hamptons and New York City, as well as major special events. During the 2005 season alone, she has produced such large events as Paramount Pictures "Four Brothers" premiere, the launch of the Nicki Hilton clothing line, the launch of the Baby Phat line, the annual Hamptons Film Festival closing party, and the Sony Moroccan party.
Cynthia was riding the crest of an award-winning home and apparel design career (her gowns in the permanent collection of the Metropolitan; designs for the Lagerfield and Montana lines); but she closed her business in Soho and Paris to focus on her passion and knowledge of food. In 1986, she turned her energies to the restaurant world as an owner and executive chef. She established Webb City in Sag Harbor, NY, one of the first Thai-European fusion menus on the East Coast. ("Webb City is a summer delight. There are many great hot-weather dishes on this innovative menu."- The New York Times) During its seven years of existence, Cynthia ended up creating the first restaurant/late-night club environment in the Hamptons -- establishing her reputation as ultimate hostess and bonne vivante.
She topped Webb City with One Ocean Road in Bridgehampton, focusing on Nouvelle Italian cuisine. ("One Ocean Road is this season's splashy new address, neatly tailored and white as Tom Wolfe's suit...the pretense is low and the potential is high." -The New York Times) She soon added the gourmet health cuisine retail and catering operation Under the Clock in Southampton.
Her influence broadened when she turned her passion to consulting, event planning and catering. Between 1996 and 2002, she consulted on the formation of many restaurants, including the opening of The Farmhouse in East Hampton, The Blue Top Restaurant in Cutchogue, The Independent in Bridgehampton, and 2003's premier Hampton nightclub The Star Room (three stars in The New York Times). As an executive chef and consultant ("The Hamptons' ..1 Chef,"-New York Post), she has formulated distinct food, setting and ambience in the creation of these unique and successful restaurants.
Over five years ago, Cynthia began a close association with Roc-A-Fella, Rocawear and Jay-Z that has led to a wide array of roles and events - from private chef in New York, the Hamptons and on world tours - to producing many company dinners and events. Jay Z's 40-40 Club, where she was executive chef during its inception and opening year, was a natural extension of that relationship and the creative interplay of their sensibilities in food and entertaining.
Cynthia has been featured on "Access Hollywood" and MTV Europe, as well as a number of lifestyle segments of network news shows. She is currently working on a cookbook. More recently, she's been featured as a contestant on "Top Chef", a reality based show on the Bravo Network.
My Nanny and I in Greece when I was oh so very young... My father, Joseph Sestito, loved and missed by many...I edited my profile with Thomas' Myspace Editor V4.4

My Interests

Everyone click on my picture below for the Top Chef 2 blog! It's funny and smart and fabulous! All the great Top Chef dish!

Music:

Hamptons Cuisine
Summer 2005
Cooking Classes
With chef, restaurateur, food consultant and expert
Cynthia Sestito

If you have spent time in the Hamptons over the last fifteen years, most likely you have experienced the food of celebrity chef Cynthia Sestito. In her own restaurants (Webb City, 1 Ocean Road, Under the Clock) or with the menus she has created for (The Farmhouse, The Independent, The Star Room), she has kept diners dazzled and critics applauding…
“This is the most unbelievable experience I’ve had in the Hamptons” -The Southampton Press
“The hottest chef to put on a pair of mitts in the kitchen”- Hal Rubenstien, Details
“The Hampton’s Number One Chef ” -page six, New York Post
“Innovations dot a menu, great hot weather match-ups from Thailand, Philippines and Mexico” -New York Times
In July – August, Cynthia is offering small, private classes, limited to eight students for six sessions. You will spend three hours each week mastering technique and preparing some of Cynthia’s signature dishes in a hands-on environment and that concludes each session with a sharing of your sumptuous summer banquet.
“Hamptons Summer Cuisine” captures the unique and unadulterated resources of the eastern tip of Long Island. A true Hamptons cuisine –is the daily catch of fish, fresh heirloom vegetables from the local family farms, indigenous herbs, sea grasses, wood and cheeses. Created by nature, clean and simple taste conveys a sense of this unique place.
The course is designed to develop one’s instincts and feelings for food and in its preparation: from color to smell to touch...
Classes will include various grilling techniques, as well as Pale-smoking® a process developed by Cynthia that employs several cooking techniques working in concert in combination of local plant and herb life to perfume the food.
Classes meet once a week for six weeks, beginning July 2006
Scheduling begins the first week in April, which will be posted here and a website to posted soon!
Course price which includes 6 classes = $ 570.00
A deposit of 35% to reserve your place (non refundable)
Payment to be paid in full 2 weeks before classes begin (non refundable)
If at all possible a make up class may be arranged at a charge of $35.00 per missed class
Charge per class if you want to bring a guest is $125.00
Please message me if interested!

Television:

The New York Times/Virginia Heffernan "Like Bravo's fashion winner "Project Runway," the channel's promising "Top Chef" flaunts terms of art and insiderism to give it authority."
Los Angeles Times/Paul Brownfield "Top Chef" seems like a no-brainer, an extension both of the interactivity of TV cooking and the art-and-craft side of reality shows, in which people are actually making things as opposed to just asses of themselves."
San Jose Mercury News/Charlie McCollum "The series has a familiar format, but the opening episode suggests it may have some real spark to it."

Books:



My Blog

20 Q&A with Cyn!

1) So, what have you been up to? Working!!!! (On my TV show and catering, catering)2) At one point in your life, your focus was on home and apparel design. What inspired you to change that focus to c...
Posted by Cynthia on Thu, 28 Sep 2006 06:59:00 PST

Top Chef Dish.....

I thought I might share a little insight into the show. This was a questionaire I filled out in March about the other contestants. Enjoy! Subject:        &n.. .
Posted by Cynthia on Wed, 12 Apr 2006 11:13:00 PST

Cynthia's Drunken Octopus

Things  You will need:8  and 10 quart sauce pot Large  sauté panSharp knife and large wooden spoon Cutting  board Measuring  cups/spoons Strainer Wire  Whisk...
Posted by Cynthia on Fri, 24 Mar 2006 09:21:00 PST

Example of Hors DOeuvres

Orange and Apple Liqueur-Marinated Gravlox     On puff pastry topped with crème fraiche and fresh salmon roe African Beef Plantains Piquant spiced roasted beef in a fried plantain "c...
Posted by Cynthia on Tue, 14 Mar 2006 03:09:00 PST

Everything you wanted to know about Cynthia....

"The number one, best Chef in the Hamptons," -New York Post      Cynthia Sestito is celebrated as an innovator in the arts of food, restaurants, and entertaining.  Over th...
Posted by Cynthia on Mon, 13 Mar 2006 03:51:00 PST