OFF THE MENU — CHEF BILLY
Executive chef Billy Della Ventura, Boston College Club, Boston

What are the highlights of your culinary career path up to this point?
I was in charge of feeding the NBC crew during the ’92 Olympics in Barcelona. I never worked so hard in my life, but it was a great challenge. Then in ’96 in Atlanta, I was the executive chef for the Olympic Stadium. That was a new experience for me, and a very successful one.

What food reminds you of childhood?
I grew up in an Italian home where the language was spoken and food was very important. The quality of what we ate was a priority, and we ate foods from Piedmont and Tuscany, where my grandparents came from. People used to check out my lunch at school. They had never seen those ingredients or experienced those smells before.

Who would you invite to your fantasy dinner party?
I’d invite people who are passionate about wine and who open the great bottles of the world. Awesome!

What is always in your refrigerator at home?
An unfinished bottle of wine.

Do you have a favorite food indulgence?
Even though I love chocolate, fresh figs eaten off the tree are probably my favorite treats.

What is your favorite food and wine pairing?
There is a wine from France called vin jaune (yellow wine); it goes great with Comté cheese and walnuts and crusty bread.

What’s your favorite food to cook at home?
My wife and I both cook at home. I like cooking on the outdoor grill. Otherwise, all sorts of pasta dishes.

What do you think will be, or should be, the next trend in fine cuisine?
Predicting a trend would make me lots of money, but I think the use of organic, pesticide-free foods will become even more important to people. The world is finally starting to want to live their lives green. Eating that way is a part of it. This is the way I grew up, and it has always been important to me.

If you were not a chef, what might you be?
A surgeon. That’s an amazing amount of responsibility. The knowledge to do it and to do it better than most would be the thrill for me. But I would also like to try my hand as a winemaker. That’s my passion and, at this point in life, a more realistic goal.

When you’re not cooking, what are your favorite pastimes?
I’m a soccer freak and I also like to discover new wines.

What is a cooking tip most novices don’t know?
When cooking a roast, once you remove it from the oven, cover it with tin foil and let it rest for 20 minutes. This way the juices don’t come running out when you slice it.

What is your culinary philosophy?
I’m passionate about what I do and I’m driven to excellence. I always want to be the best at everything I do and I’m willing to work hard to get there. Even after all these years, the fire is still burning bright.

Photography by David Shopper.