Tracy Chang

Alas, here is an inside gander into the intricate workings of the squid ink raviolis I’ve been talking about. The ravioli is a key component of one of my favorite menu items, the caldo con txipirones y txip de tinta. For every order, there is one ravioli in the dish, however we fire two raviolis in the oven because they are so delicate and therefore prone to bursting in the oven. Thus we’re crafting double the amount we’re selling.

Beppe con Ravioli

Of course we Asians (Hyun and I) and the italian (Giuseppe, aka Beppe) are often assigned to make the raviolis. Coincidence? Jeje.

Hyun’s Perfection

Here you can see Hyun and her intense concentration as she makes the perfect ravioli. She is my sensei. We always joke about how serious we are during ravioli time. It requires much attention to detail to achieve the precision and beauty of a perfect ravioli. Silence is difficult to come by in a kitchen full of 60+ stages. During my first week, I had many curious spectators watching my every move, every spatula stroke. Good thing I don’t have shaky hands! On multiple occasions, both Hyun and I have been so immersed in the realm of ravioli that even when Martín or the other head chefs came by to watch or “boo!” at us (sí, the Spanish have a sense of humor), we were unaware, unfaltering, stoic. I like the intensity. It reminds me of why I’m here: to submit, to learn, to refine.