Executive Chef David Reynoso
At Home in the Kitchen at Al Forno
By Genie MCPherson Trevor
Photos by Chip Riegel

Standing in the kitchen of Al Forno restaurant in Providence on a Saturday afternoon, Executive Chef David Reynoso was showing me the best way to clean the slipperiest of sea creatures while extolling the virtues of the Loligo pealei species of squid. The mood was relaxed and quiet, a far cry from what the kitchen would become in a few short hours.

I was there along with 14 or so other members of an intimate cooking class, assembled in the back of the house, keenly anticipating the tasty lunch that would showcase the fruits of our labors. We were led by Reynoso, an insightful and extremely affable chef who has been at the helm of Al Forno’s ever-busy kitchen for the past five years.

While I tried to keep tubes and tentacles from flying to the floor, the chef made his way around the kitchen to small groups of “students” clustered over cutting boards, offering handy cooking tips and informed opinions on everything from farms to fisheries.

For this class, Reynoso invited Chris Lee, director of sales with Sea Fresh, a wholesale fish processing company in North Kingstown, to share his abundant knowledge of local fisheries. Lee, I found out, happens to be neighbors with the chef and is in turn a terrific resource for him. (After moving here, it didn’t take Reynoso long to discover that Rhode Islanders live by two degrees of separation. To further the point, Lee’s brother, we quickly learned, is a Point Judith fisherman and a writer/contributor to Edible Rhody.)

Both chef and fish broker gave us a brief education on locally landed fish, explaining how Loligo pealei is the most flavorful species of squid on the seafood market—and also happens to be Rhode Island’s most successful fishery.

After we finished stuffing the squid with Maine shrimp, a regional treat available only for a short winter season, Reynoso showed us how to complete the entrée. With causal authority, he slid a sauté pan over high heat, adding a splash of olive oil, the squid followed by white wine and lemon juice. A mouth-watering aroma filled the kitchen as the aromatics did their part, infusing the air with hints of garlic, lemon and fennel.

When we sat down to lunch, Reynoso graciously thanked us all for joining him but with an eye on the afternoon clock, he quickly slid back to the kitchen to finish preparations for dinner service. Meanwhile we toasted and ate our way through a four-course meal—a tad guilty, knowing as we rested our tired feet after two hours or so in the kitchen that Reynoso and his crew would be there another eight to nine.

I met up with Reynoso a few weeks later, curious to know more about his experience as head of Rhode Island’s most legendary kitchen, working with culinary trailblazers Johanne Killeen and George Germon. I found him alone in the back workspace, behind the open kitchen, quietly carving his way through about 25 fresh ducklings—which, I might add, he made look as easy as slicing bread.

“I love doing this type of work—it’s a time when I can be reflective and quiet. But I also love the opposite—when the kitchen is cranking on a Saturday night and things are kind of crazy.”

Reynoso met owners Killeen and Germon 15 years ago working at a fundraiser in Chicago, followed by another fortuitous rendezvous, funnily enough, in Disneyland where Reynoso was working at the time. Having trained in both Italy and in Italian restaurants stateside, Italianspeaking Reynoso, a native of Mexico, hit it off with Killeen and Germon and was soon hired to head their Boston-based Café Louis (now closed), before coming to Al Forno. He, his wife and their two (adorable) children have since settled comfortably in Rhode Island.

“It’s great working with Johanne and George. We’re really like a family here—some [kitchen and dining room staff ] have been here as long as 18 and 25 years. George, Johanne and I tend to have a similar philosophy but also understand that we all evolve and change too. I tend to do my own kind of thing—working with whole animals is one. It’s something I enjoy but not something George prefers. But we all like to focus first on what’s available in New England—on what’s fresh, seasonal and raised well,” said Reynoso.

He continued, “George and Johanne have many long-term relationships with area farmers [like Col Walker] and local purveyors too, many that I have tried to keep while developing new ones at the same time.”

Reynoso works with area farms such as City Farm, Lily Rose Farm, Dame Farm and White Barn Farm (started by a former Al Forno employee)—fish is from Foley in New Bedford and clams have long come from Andrade’s Catch out of Bristol. Staff will make pickups at farms; sometimes deliveries are made by farmers and sometimes Reynoso will order through Farm Fresh Rhode Island’s Market Mobile.

A confident and skilled butcher, he often shares whole pigs or large cuts of beef with chef Darius Silko of Tini (also owned by Killeen and Germon). “He’ll use certain parts and I’ll use certain parts, because of the differences on our menus. It’s hard to for us to use entirely local meats, simply because of the volume we would need,” said Reynoso. Reynoso’s creations like his succulent braises and fish dishes may change more often, depending on availability. They are offered on the menu along with, of course, the grilled pizzas, baked pastas and wood-fired cuts that draw such a loyal fan base.

“I love working with the farmers, like with Debbie Barrett at Allen Farms. I first called her because I was interested in her pea greens. She said to me, ‘Why don’t I just come in and talk to you?’ I was even surprised when she came. We chatted—well, she did most of the chatting,” Reynoso added with a grin. “Now we have such a good relationship, we basically buy anything she grows.”

The chef finished up with the ducks, each part given equal respect, the bits saved for rich ragus, aromatic stocks and even duck bacon. As I left, he was turning his attention to another task: making fresh ravioli by hand. By my watch, Reynoso was just about midway through another 12-hour day in the Al Forno kitchen. eR

RECIPES

Rhode Island Squid Stuffed with
Fresh Maine Shrimp

Spaghetti alla Chitarra
with Braised Leeks, Thyme
and Gorgonzola

Spiced Hot Chocolate

David’s Mexican Wedding Cookies

Writer and Edible Rhody Editor Genie McPherson Trevor lives and cooks with her family in Providence.