Stephen Collucci

Pastry chef Stephen Collucci approaches cooking through the lens of seasonality. "I've always worked at seasonally and market-driven restaurants, creating with the mentality that what grows together, goes together." This mantra is evident in his Spoonful, which artfully presents pear in various forms.

At anchor in the piece is a spoon Collucci has had for over a decade. "It's my favorite quenelle spoon, an important one to have in your arsenal as a pastry chef. It's like an extension of my arm at this point in my career."

Collucci is both practical and philosophical when it comes to food. "Besides the fact that food literally nourishes us and gives us the energy we need, for me it's an artwork, a way of self-expression, an homage to my upbringing, but also how I am able to provide for my family."