When Domenica opened in New Orleans in September 2009, it represented the fulfillment of Chef-Partner Alon Shaya’s long-held dream. Born in Israel, he has always been drawn to the food from ‘just across the Mediterranean from my homeland’—and, now an accomplished chef, this love has evolved into a total immersion in Italian traditions and food culture. 

Domenica is the latest venture of the highly regarded Besh Restaurant Group, which Chef John Besh has built with an emphasis on local produce, seafood, meats, and artisan-crafted products. At Domenica, traditional country Italian fare is created from local Louisiana ingredients, as well as Italian artisan oils, cheese, flours, and vinegars. In preparation of Domenica’s opening, Shaya delighted in throwing himself headlong into the intensive study of Italian – language, culture, heritage, and, of course, cooking. As a critical step in his Italian education, Shaya became certified by the prestigious Meat Science Department at IowaStateUniversity, learning the scientific fundamentals of producing the pork delicacies such as salami, Parma ham, and prosciutto, so central to Italian cuisine, as well as the particulars of intensive butchery. From there, he journeyed to the source: Italy.

He based himself northeast of Milan, traveling as much as he could to places like Venice, Tuscany, and Chianti, tasting, watching, and learning. Here, instead of book learning and classes, Shaya absorbed the culture by living it, with the artisans who carry out an ancient heritage of traditional food preparation.  He favored the small Italian towns and countryside establishments where proud craftsmen have created their products, and in turn, dishes, under the same azure skies in the shade of the same ancient cedars using the same ingredients, techniques, and equipment handed down through the generations. “These were not Michelin starred restaurants,” explains Shaya, “but what I came to understand was authentic Italian culture. Did you know, for instance, that Anolini in brodo – the tiny braised meat-filled ravioli served in a rich broth – are not called ‘anolini’ because they’re ring-shaped: they’re actually half-moons. But ‘anolini means ‘little rings.’ So why?  Because they are supposed to be small enough to fit through a wedding ring. That’s the kind of grandmotherly lore that enriches everything I am trying to do.” 

He lived first outside of Bergamo working in a small ristorante, and then moved to Vedole, a picturesque village outside Parma, with a family who had been in artisan salami production for over two centuries; he also worked in their small à la carte restaurant in the afternoons, creating pastas and desserts. Then for variety, he set off to Busseto, another small town north of Parma where he lived with another salami-making dynasty, reinforcing all his training and teaching him anew. They took him in like a family member, giving him simple lodgings upstairs from the shop while he worked in their salumificio. “It was an amazing time, like I’d been dropped into their family and was a grandson learning their trade,” he remembers, “It was natural for both sides. I was learning their language, their food, their wines; they were the most enthusiastic teachers.” The family’s 83-year-old grandmother taught Shaya about making everything from pasta to nocino, or walnut liqueur – a process that started with harvesting the walnuts. 

Working in these tiny, family-run operations, Shaya has been privy to the most top-secret traditional recipes and techniques. Performing even the most menial tasks as a full-time line cook [“truthfully,” he reveals, “there is no hierarchy in these kitchens,”] he’s had the opportunity to perfect his methods. These he will transfer to his Domenica kitchen, applying them to the freshest local Louisiana ingredients together with the finest of Italian imports.

In the months before the restaurant opened, Shaya and Besh took the opportunity to send a team of equally passionate people -- Shaya’s staff -- to Italy to soak up the culture and the cuisine while renovations were underway. Sous chefs Todd Pulsinelli and Giuseppe Caratozzolo traveled over with general manager Kerry Kelley on the initial ‘study abroad’ program, which Shaya saw as an important aspect of ongoing training.  “Our cooks will all be challenged to study the history and traditions of Italian food, he explains,” “We will be making regular trips there to inspire us and to continue our education.”  The last stop on Shaya’s own culinary journey before his restaurant opened was downtown Parma, where he worked at his favorite pizzeria. 

The chef and his staff were not all that was awaiting Domenica’s opening:  there was also a small stockpile of 2,500 pounds of salumi slowly curing, and prosciuttos and hams that have been aging for close to 12 months at the Besh Restaurant Group’s shared smoke house at La Provence in Lacombe, Louisiana.  Shaya packed them away before his initial Italian adventure and is now refining his menu and preparing additional cured meats, hand-crafted Italian style cheeses, liqueurs, and other time-intensive traditional Italian ingredients that cannot be hurried, but which are integral to the authentic country Italian fare he learned ‘living over the store.’ 

The menu echoes the simple and unpretentious cuisine Shaya encountered in his travels, uncomplicated preparations, often with just a few ingredients per dish. It opens with a special Salumi section dear to Shaya’s heart, featuring his custom cold pork products, including Prosciutto di Langhirano, Coppa, Lardo seasoned with rosemary and black pepper, Salsiccia fresca d’oca, Mortadella, and a variety of aged Salame, all lovingly crafted in the ancient Italian tradition. They are offered with customary accompaniments for Salumi: Torta Fritta, Gorgonzola Dolce, and Caponata di mia nonna -- stewed eggplant, onions, peppers and tomatoes. Next comes the parade of antipasti, from Shaved Bresaola di Valtellina with grano padano, lemon and arugula to Fried Squash Blossoms with warm goat cheese.  Classic Zuppe like Garmugia and Anolini in brodo follow; then come the Insalate showcasing the freshest local produce. Offerings for the Primi course include a range of delectable handmade pastas and toothsome risottos such as Fazzoletti with housemade guanciale, heirloom tomatoes, and basil; Bavette with butter braised lobster,crushed chiles and mint; and Green Pea Risotto with pancetta soffritto.  Fish get the classic old world treatment in dishes like Monkfish in pastella, batter fried with slow cooked eggplant, artichokes and olives, and Brodetto – a spicy stew of seafood with tomatoes, fava beans, and grilled bread; and assert their local pride in the Fritto Misto with bagna cauda – fried Gulf seafood with a ‘hot bath’ of herbs, butter, and olive oil. The Carne course includes Tomato braised Guinea hen with rosemary roasted potatoes and garlic Swiss chard and a Capretto arrosto, or whole roasted goat, with polenta, pepperonata and Taleggio. Shaya’s Pizze, baked to blistering perfection in a wood-burning oven, naturally favor his cured porks, as in the Spicy Calabrese Salame with provolone, tomatoes, capers, and olives; he also shakes things up with a Crabmeat, asparagus and truffle pizza, and keeps it simple with the classic Margherita - Tomato, basil and mozzarella. Cheeses on the menu range from Crumbly to Semi Hard to Soft, made from milk imported from the great dairy regions of Italy.  It would be a shame at this point not to have room left for Dolci, which also feature a bounty of local fruits, as in the Peach and Blueberry Crostata with Fior di latte gelato, and the “Minestrone” of fresh summer fruits and prosecco with lemon sorbetto and mint.