Of all the local chefs we’ve had the privilege to interview, Alex Capasso is the one who has had the most press. The chef/owner of both the upscale Blackbird and the diner-with-twist West Side Gravy has been making appearances on ABC News Now‘s “Eat and Greet” segment and, in 2008, was invited to cook at the James Beard House. His resume reflects an early tendency towards excellence, beginning with George Perrier’s Brasserie,and later earning accolades at Max’s in Cinnaminson and Misto in Cherry Hill. If that weren’t enough, he has long been the darling of Craig Leban, the Philadelphia Inquirer’s resident food critic.
But what has earned our admiration (aside from his food), is the intelligent, unapologetic expression of his ideas. Every question we asked was considered thoughtfully-and then was answered according to what he thought, not what everyone might want to hear. He’s a straight-shooter, and regardless of whether you agree with his opinions, we think you have to respect that. He also was generous enough to give us almost 2 hours of his time. While we had a blast, we had to edit it down to two smaller 12-minute interviews. Enjoy Part I, and stay tuned for Part II!
