For Dean Cannestra, Cooking Is in the Genes

Milwaukee restaurateur and chef <strong>Dean Cannestra</strong>,<strong> </strong>owner of Nessun Dorma and Libiamo restaurants, insists that the secret to a good marinara sauce is "sweetness." Cannestra prefers to cook his tomatoes for a shorter period of time, in order to develop what he considers to be the perfect level of acidity. Culinary intuition appears to be a family trait. Cannestra's grandmother was in the catering business, his aunt owned a pizzeria and it was while working at Palermo Villa, which is owned by his sister Kathleen, that Cannestra mastered "contemporary Italian" cuisine.<br /><br /><strong><em>When did you start cooking?</em></strong><br /><br />I started over at Palermo Villa and worked with a lot of chefs over the years. Plus, I was always cooking with the family. I did some cooking at school and I took some classes in college and high school, but most of my training was on the job, working with different people in the industry.<strong><br /><br /><em>Which chefs were you working with at Palermo Villa?</em></strong><br /><br />The Fallucca family. They originated the recipes for Palermo Villa and now own Palermo's Pizza.<strong><br /><br /><em>Why did you want to open your own restaurant?</em></strong><br /><br />I always had the desire to open up a restaurant, because I loved it over at Palermo Villa. I was just looking to do something a little different, and I liked the Riverwest area. I thought that Riverwest was a market that was underserved; I found a nice little spot and we were able to develop Nessun Dorma into a nice casual bar.<strong><em><br /><br />How did you decide on the menu?</em></strong><br /><br />I was looking to do a different style of bar food with an Italian (influence)... I didn't have the facilities to do any pizzas, but we were able to do the panini sandwiches, bruschetta, tenderloin sandwiches, Caesar salad, homemade soups and some unique daily specials.<br /><br /><strong><em>Were you looking to create a different experience with Libiamo?</em></strong><br /><br />Nessun Dorma is more of a casual, neighborhood place with a bar and some nice Italian food. I was looking for a bigger restaurant, something that could be used for parties, family gatherings and large groups. This facility caters to that.<br /><br /><strong><em>Do you have a favorite dish on the menu at either of your restaurants?</em></strong><br /><br />I eat a lot of pasta, so just something really simple like Bolognese&mdash;the tomato cream sauce with some smoked pancetta, Italian sausage and seasoned beef. That's a meal right there. I love that.