>>>
>>> GOOD
>>> GOOD MORNING AND WELCOME, EVERYONE.
EVERYONE.
EVERYONE. OUR FIRST GUEST HAS WORKED IN
BY DINING R YEARS, BUT NOW
PUTS A SPIN ON FAST, CASUAL
ITALIAN.
ITALIAN.
ITALIAN. YOU ARE FRENCH, BUT THIS IS
MONA FRESH ITALIAN.
>> I AM FROM ITALY, AT THE
BOTTOM OF ITALY.
WE EAT PASTA EVERY DAY.
>> AT WHAT POINT DID YOU REALIZE
YOU ARE INTERESTED IN THIS AS
SOMETHING TO DO FOR A LIVING?
>> SINCE I WAS 14 YEARS OLD.
I ALWAYS LIKED TO SEE COOKING
SHOWS ON TV.
I STARTED A COOKING CLASS AND I
MOVED INTO THE RESTAURANT
BUSINESS.
BUSINESS.
BUSINESS. >> AND YOU GOT TO WORK WITH
SOME OF THE BEST CHEFS IN THE
BUSINESS.
BUSINESS.
BUSINESS. >> YES.
>> YES.
>> YES. >> FOOD HAS HELPED YOU TO
TRAVEL AROUND THE WORLD.
>> YES.
>> YES.
>> YES. I
>> YES. I USED TO WORK IN CANADA, I WAS
AN EXECUTIVE CHEF IN IDAHO AND
SPENT EIGHT YEARS IN BRAZIL.
>> YOU MET YOUR WIFE IN THE
UNITED STATES?
UNITED STATES? >> YES.
>> YES.
>> YES. >> YOU COOK FOR HER AND SHE WAS
OVER -- IT WAS OVER.
ONE OF THE THINGS WHEN YOU SAY
ITALIAN FOOD YOU SAY YOU GREW
UP EATING PASTA.
FRESH PASTA IS SO MUCH DIFFERENT
.
.
. >>
. >> IT
. >> IT IS.
>> IT IS.
>> IT IS. >> BASICALLY WE ARE USING
REGULAR FLOUR.
REGULAR FLOUR. WE USE ANOTHER TYPE OF FLOUR.
AND THEN WE ADD IN THE EGGS. WE
ARE MIXING FOR QUITE A LITTLE
BIT.
BIT.
BIT. WE
BIT. WE GOT THAT, I HAVE ALREADY
PREPARED SOME.
PREPARED SOME. THAT ONE IS WITH WHEATGRASS.
THAT ONE IS WITH BEETS.
>> WITH YOU CAN ADD ALL KINDS
OF THINGS.
OF THINGS. >> EXACTLY.
WE
WE PASS
WE PASS IT THROUGH A FEW TIMES. >> WITH THE RESTAURANT, THE
TITLE IS MONA FRESH, THE WHOLE
FRESH COMPONENT, I THINK A LOT
OF US, ESPECIALLY HERE IN
HOUSTON, SO MANY PEOPLE FROM
AROUND THE WORLD HAVE GOTTEN
USED TO THE APPRECIATION FOR
FRESH FOOD.
FRESH FOOD. >> YES.
>> YES.
>> YES. ALL OF THE VEGGIES, THEY ARE
GROWN LOCALLY. WE USE MICRO
GREENS FROM TOWN.
YOU KNOW THE TOMATO WILL BE
REALLY GOOD.
REALLY GOOD. >> WE WANT QUALITY, BUT QUICK
AND FAST.
AND FAST.
AND FAST. YOU HAVE COMBINED HAVING YOUR
BACKGROUND AND EXPERIENCE AND
FINE DINING AND THAT YOU COULD
MAKE IT EASY FOR US TO ACCESS.
>> YES.
>> YES.
>> YES. FOR US IT WAS IMPORTANT TO HAVE
A REALLY NICE RESTAURANT.
WE PUT A LOT OF THE DECORATIONS.
THE PASTA IS REALLY FRESH.
THE CLIENT CAN BUILD THEIR OWN
PASTA.
PASTA.
PASTA. >>
PASTA. >> LOOKS LIKE A REALLY COOL AND
FUN RESTAURANT.
FUN RESTAURANT. >> IT IS FAMILY-FRIENDLY.
>> ALL RIGHT.
SO WE HAVE A PASTA HERE.
>> I AM GOING TO SWITCH TO THAT
ONE.
ONE.
ONE. WE
ONE. WE PASS IT THROUGH AGAIN.
>> DID YOU GROW UP DOING THIS
WITH YOUR FAMILY?
>> EVERY SUNDAY FOR LUNCH WE
ARE DOING THAT.
TODAY WE DID IT MAKES A REGULAR
PASTA.
PASTA.
PASTA. WE
PASTA. WE USE SPINACH.
>> NOW I WISH I HAD MADE MORE
USE OF MY PLATO MACHINE WHEN I
WAS A KID.
YOU ARE CUTTING THEM UP THERE.
GIVE US SOME TRICKS OF WE ARE
MAKING PASTA AT HOME, ONE OF
THE BIGGEST MISTAKES?
>> YOU HAVE A LOT OF SALT IN
THE WATER.
THE WATER. BEFORE YOU COOK YOU NEED TO
TEST THE WATER AND IT NEEDS TO
TASTE LIKE SEAWATER.
>> IS AN IMPORTANT TO TAKE IT
OUT AND PUT IT IN COOL WATER?
>> THAT IS VERY WRONG.
HERE
HERE WE
HERE WE GO, WE HAVE OUR PASTA. >> IT COOKS IN LESS THAN ONE
MINUTE?
MINUTE?
MINUTE? >> YES.
>> YES.
>> YES. >> AND YOU HAVE WHAT IS CALLED
AN EXHIBITION KITCHEN.
WITH ALL THE TV SHOWS WE HAVE I
THINK PEOPLE ARE MORE INTERESTED
IN FOOD AND THE MAKING OF FOOD
THAN EVER BEFORE.
>> THAT IS THE INTERACTION WITH
THE CLIENT.
THE CLIENT. THEY SEE US, THEY SEE THE
PRODUCT, AND THEY CAN CHOOSE
WHAT THEY WANT.
WE HAVE 16 DIFFERENT INGREDIENTS
WE CAN ADD IN.
WE SAUTI IT AND THEN WE CAN
CHOOSE THE SAUCE BETWEEN
ALFREDO, TOMATO, MEAT SAUCE.
THAT IS REALLY GOOD FOR THE
CLIENT TO SEE ALL THAT.
>> I WANT TO TASTE THIS.
>> PLEASE.
>> PLEASE. >> A GREAT PASTA YOU CAN EAT
THEM ALL WITH BUTTER OR THROW
SOME SAUCE OR MEAT AND
VEGETABLES ON IT.
THAT IS GOOD. IT IS SPICY AND
IT IS ALSO A BIT SWEET.
THAT IS VERY GOOD.
LET GO -- THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR
SHOWING US THIS TODAY.
MONA FRESH ITALIAN IS LOCATED
OFF OF KATY FREEWAY.
THANK YOU FOR STOPPING BY.
OUR
OUR NEXT
OUR NEXT GUEST IS A NUMBER ONE NEW YORK TIMES BEST-SELLING
AUTHOR OF ADULT FILMS INCLUDING
THE INNER CIRCLE AND THE ESCAPE
ARTIST.
ARTIST.
ARTIST. FIND OUT HOW A SHOPPING TRIP
WITH HIS DAUGHTER ENCOURAGED
HIM TO WRITE CHILDREN