LOCAL Houston | The City Guide AUGUST 2015 | Page 22

Local August 2015_FINAL.qxp_002houston 7/27/15 12:18 PM Page 22 CHEF’S SPECIAL TALLENT RICCA RICCA CO. Favorite late night spot for a bite? Mai’s for the vegetarian Pho with beef broth or Red Pier for the wings. Best breakfast? The lox bagel sandwich on an everything bagel with chive cream cheese from Hot Bagel Shop. Best brunch? Caracol. What ingredient can you not live without in the kitchen and why? SALT! With sweets, salt is imperative. What utensil can you not live without? A good spatula (heat-proof). What’s your pet peeve? Loud bars and bad attitudes. Favorite place for dessert? Uchi. Who are your favorite chef, restaurant and dish? Richard Knight, Kipper Club, Kimchi hot stone bowl with extra veggies and pickled mushrooms at H mart food court. Is there a food you won’t eat? I hate raw bananas. THE worst. They ruin smoothies. What is your comfort food? Thai. I make the same Thai seared beef salad when I’m stressed. What would people be surprised to find in your home refrigerator? So many kinds of tahini. It’s magic. Who/what inspires you? Yvon Chouinard. Favorite sandwich: The BBQ pork banh mi with pate from Les Givral’s Favorite ice cream mix-in/topping: Any type of candied nut Favorite truck food: Hot dogs from Good Dog Favorite picnic spot: The Menil What food item or type of cuisine do you think needs a makeover? In this town, delis. I love a good deli sandwich from a mom-and-pop, European-style deli. For full interview, visit www.localhoustonmagazine.com. Photography by Sofía van der Dys While studying International Business at Franklin University Switzerland, Tallent fell in love with the quality and seasonality of European food. After graduation she returned stateside and started working in marketing and business development before taking the leap into the food world. She apprenticed at Ritual Chocolate in Denver, Colorado, one of the best bean-to-bar chocolate makers in America. After returning to Houston she started her own small frozen foods company, RICCA. The eponymous name also means “rich” in Italian, the perfect word to describe RICCA’s sweet treats. She’s owned and operated RICCA, a gelato sandwich company, for the past two years. RICCA CO. | [email protected] | 713.805.4365 | www.riccaco.com 22 L O C A L | august 15