Local Bites - Tutto Mario

Chef Slim "Sam" Ben-Ouhiba of Chalfont’s Tutto Mario speaks with Warminster Patch in regard to his approach to Italian cuisine. Trained in the cuisine of Italy, France, and his native Tunisia, he readily conveys the importance of letting ingredients speak for themselves, while not letting less than choice ingredients speak for his restaurant.

WP: Given the cultural exchange that has been going on for centuries across the Mediterranean, how natural is it for you to showcase an Italian menu as well as a request-only Tunisian Chef’s table?

Sam: Any cuisine can be combined with any other cuisine. The Tunisian is who I am. Italian cuisine is another cuisine I’ve studied, I’ve loved. The whole world has an influence on Italian cuisine and around the world so many people embrace it. It’s just like that in Tunisia - my mother does spaghetti with meat and red sauce. When I went to Italy it really wasn’t new to me. I was already familiar with the ingredients.

WP: But it helps when there’s a shared interest in fresh, seasonal fare, not to mention olive oil.

Sam: Yes, certainly. In Italy or France, it’s very seasonal, as with Tunisia. We don’t do that here which is both fortunate and unfortunate. In general, I always try my best to get the best. If I’m not happy with the quality of fish for instance, I send it back. I had a problem moving red snapper and had to throw it away and switch to something else. It’s like when you make a song, not every one is going to be a hit. You try and move on.

It’s fortunate, as a chef, to be able to get ingredients at any time, but then again, you lose something if you’re using something, say an orange, out of season - the taste, the full flavor just isn’t going to be there. And branzino, for instance, has a season in Europe. If you fish for it all year long, you’re going to kill it [off].

But you also have to listen to what the customers want. I do osso bucco all year round, though it’s a winter dish. People want it. It’s not on the menu, but if I take it off the specials I quickly hear about it [with an affable laugh]. It’s one of our signature dishes, something people keep coming back for.

WP: Tell me a little more about the osso buco.

It’s like heaven and earth. A veal shank braised in a plumb tomato, red wine hearty vegetable sauce - onion, carrots, celery, herbs. So tender it falls off the bone. It’s served with a saffron risotto with spinach and cream accompaniment. All the ingredients work really well together.

WP: Ok, I see your point. I could eat that anytime. But give me some ways you try to go with the season.

Sam: I try to do it most with my specials. When it’s in season, I’ll incorporate chard, pineapple, and mango. I’ll find a way to bring in the sweet freshness of corn. Also in the summer, I’ll introduce cold fish dishes: halibut or tuna carpaccio in addition to preparations of jumbo lump crabmeat and raw oysters. When the summer comes I try to get Hawaiian fish that reminds you of the beach, keeping in mind these [more seasonal] dishes need to be light crisp, more mindful of the season. No one really wants to eat anything too heavy at this time.

WP: What would you say are some of the greatest lessons you took from your study at the highly esteemed Cordon Bleu of Perugia?

Sam: It’s all about the sauce. I learned how to perfect a good marinara. I learned how to make rustic cuisine - pasta, sauces, and bread. I did not necessarily perfect everything there. It gave me a solid knowledge base to go from, which I added to in subsequent experiences.

I make pasta on the premises here. Though not everything is made in-house, I do make gnocchi, ravioli, and tortellini, as well as specials of black squid linguine. To make more I would need more space; it takes that and teamwork.

WP: You’ve also highlighted your branzino, which I’ve seen deboned tableside at your restaurant. I recall you mentioning a simple prep that lets the fish, and its oils, speak for itself.

Sam: We crust the skin with salt and add fresh herbs - that’s it. The essential thing is to make sure it’s fresh. My providers are people I trust. And you have to use fresh herbs. You stuff it nicely with herbs, crust the skin with salt, and put it in the oven, with the skin acting as a double broiler.

Tutto Mario, 459 W. Butler Ave. (rte. 202) Chalfont, PA - (215) 822-6668. A la carte Italian; Italian and Tunisian Chef’s Table Menus Per Request.