FRANK PRISINZANO DOESN’T believe in recipes. Instead, the chef and owner of five New York City restaurants—Frank, Lil’ Frankie’s, Lil’ Frankie’s Grocery, Supper, and Daddy’s—believes in cooking based on methods. “I teach methods because it gives people the confidence to just walk in the kitchen and start cooking. That’s how my grandparents cooked, that’s how everyone I’ve ever known has cooked.”
Prisinzano argues that following recipes takes too much time and that it ultimately dilutes the enjoyment of cooking, that all you’re learning by following recipes is how to measure ingredients, which “takes you out of your flow.” In his restaurant kitchens, there are no recipe books. The cooks are shown how to make the dishes with the emphasis on technique. Then, Prisinzano evaluates their progress based on the dishes they produce and offers constructive feedback. “That’s how I taught
