💌 Drawer Salads, Bolognese, and the Weight of Where We’ve Been
Some weeks just steamroll you—in the best, messiest way. Between packing up the house, late-night cooking, and watching my teenagers live their best feral summer lives (they’re on a strict 2 PM–3 AM schedule), I’ve been thinking a lot about how much we carry with us.
Not physically (although yes, the packing is relentless), but emotionally.
The past. The patterns. The family dynamics.
How our childhood experiences sneak into adulthood and shape how we parent, love, and even cook.
I’ve somehow been keeping up with their bedtime hours and still waking up by 8, which is either a miracle or a sign that my nervous system is permanently wired for mom-life. Probably both.
And honestly? This whole schedule feels familiar.
It reminds me of my old life—working the line until midnight, heading out after work, and then cooking dinner at 3 AM. Waking up, doing it again.
But these days, it’s evolved.
Now I’m up late packing, writing, and making midnight snacks for my kids.
Still in the kitchen. Still feeding people I love. Just with a little less whisky and a lot more intention.
“We inherit more than recipes—we inherit habits. And sometimes we have to unlearn before we can taste the good stuff.”
🍽️ Where I Ate This Week
I had the deviled eggs at Michael’s Genuine, where I’ve been going for over 15 years. Their happy hour eggs have always slapped, but this past week they were somehow creamier, perfectly chilled, and more delicious than ever. Served up with a side of Wednesday jazz, where they feature Michael’s son's jazz band. The whole experience was a reminder that some classics just keep getting better with time.
🍅 From My Kitchen
This week’s culinary highlight?
A light-lift, rich-tasting Bolognese that felt like a hug.
Quickie Bolognese (Serves 4)
Ingredients:
2 tbsp olive oil
1 lb grass-fed ground beef
1 cup mirepoix (diced onion, carrot, celery – fresh or frozen)
1 jar For Good Sauce – my go-to for deep tomato flavor without the sugar bomb
1 cup whole milk
Salt + pepper to taste
Optional: Fresh basil or parsley for garnish
Directions:
Heat olive oil in a sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add ground beef, season with salt and pepper, and cook until fully browned, breaking it up with a spoon.
Push the beef to one side of the pan and add mirepoix to the other. Cook for 4–5 minutes until the vegetables are soft and fragrant, then mix everything together.
Add the tomato sauce and stir well to combine. Let it simmer for 5 minutes.
Pour in the milk and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 10–15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until everything is creamy and flavorful.
Serve with pasta, roasted vegetables, polenta—or spoon it over toast. Garnish if you’re feeling fancy.
Also on repeat: my drawer salad.
It’s a chef thing—whatever’s in the salad station, tossed into something magical.
Lately:
Baby romaine
Dried cranberries
Pumpkin seeds
Green olives
Goat cheese or parm
Crispy onions or jalapeños
Dijon vinaigrette (or homemade ranch)
Sounds chaotic. Tastes amazing.
What We’re Eating This Week (aka: Clean Out the Kitchen Edition):
Monday: Beef Bolognese over leftover pasta
Tuesday: Drawer salad + ricotta toast
Wednesday: Chciken Wings and Hashbrowns
Thursday: Italian Sausage, white beans, For Good Sauce (Pasta Fagiole w/o the pasta)
Friday: ALL those foods no one wanted to eat until it was the last thing
✨ Chef-Mom Wellness Corner
It’s been a survival week: cook, clean, pack, repeat.
But even in the madness, I’ve been holding on to tiny rituals that keep me grounded:
Peppermint oil on the back of my neck when I need to reset
Sleeping with 432 Hz frequencies to calm my nervous system at night
Sitting with my kids at 2 AM, even if we’re just eating and scrolling
Morning + evening lymphatic plate sessions—my new favorite daily detox.
Recommended by Carly Greenberg of EMS by Carly (currently toning the rich and sexy in Ibiza—we miss her and Mister Leo, her too-dorable-for-words gay best friend/dog). Counting down the days until her return next month!
Affirmation of the Week:
"I am in the right place, at the right time, doing the right thing." — Louise Hay
Reminder to any other overachieving moms out there:
You don’t have to do it all.
Sometimes a drawer salad, a deep breath, and a soft “no” is enough.
🔥 New Openings: Let’s Work Together
I’ve got a few rare openings in my calendar for:
Short to medium-term private cooking gigs
Culinary event pop-ups
Concept + menu consulting
Founder storytelling + press positioning
If you’re building something bold—or just need a damn good dinner—let’s talk.
📩 chefnicolevotano@gmail.com
🔗 nicolevotano.com
🧂 Ingredients & Products I Love Right Now
Here’s what’s living in my kitchen (and in my heart)
:
Goat Cheese: Laura Chenel or Vermont Creamery
Chicken Wings + Frank’s RedHot: Yes, you can try another buffalo sauce or make your own, but I promise it never tastes as good. I go organic on wings, old-school on sauce—preservatives and all. Balance, right?
Sweet Melody Ice Cream: Just launched their own Magnum-style bars (!!). My fave flavor? Peanut Butter Cup—salty, creamy, packed with mix-ins. No digging required. Find them at The Citadel or in their Kendall vending machine.
More pantry picks and secret weapon ingredients coming soon…
Fancy Food Show Round-Up
Want to see what caught my eye (and taste buds) at this year’s Fancy Food Show?
Check out my full recap on LinkedIn → Read it here
Also: If you’re sauce-curious, I’m working closely with one of my consulting clients, Alex, the founder of For Good Sauce—a line of carefully crafted, slow-simmered tomato sauces made to get you to an incredible meal faster, not replace the magic of cooking from scratch.
Alex has poured everything he has into this—and you can taste it. Spoonfuls from the jar are that good.
🧠 The Industry Bite: A Journey Worth Honoring
The past two years have been a beautiful and wild ride. From launching new concepts, ghostwriting menus, traveling with my father and children across Italy, and pivoting between private chef work and global culinary consulting, what I’ve learned most is this: when you root deeply in your purpose and stay open to reinvention, you don’t just survive, you transform.
The industry keeps shifting—so must we. But that doesn’t mean losing yourself in the pivot. It means finding your center over and over again.
This space, this newsletter, these recipes—they’re all part of that journey.
💌 Until next time…
Wishing you a midnight snack that hits just right,
a salad that surprises you,
and a moment where everything feels like it’s finally coming together.
Warmly,
Nicole Votano
Food & Travel Writer | Chef | Hospitality Entrepreneur
nicolevotano.com | @thechefnicole
📰 Nicole’s Global Palate on Substack