Mar. 18, 2009 - Issue #700: Polaroids
Sonny Sung
Beefy Italian
Bistecca has been dubbed Edmonton’s first “Italian” steakhouse. It begs the question—what, exactly, is an Italian steakhouse, and how is it any different from any of the typical, run-of-the-mill Alberta steakhouses that grandly occupy so much of our city’s prime real estate?
“Essentially, it’s a simple take on steak,” Sung says as he launches into an in-depth description. “First, we take the best steaks available—Spring Creek Ranch Premium Alberta Beef. Then we pan sear them before they go on the grill. It holds in the juice and brings out the flavour. At the end they are brushed with one of the finest olive oils–it gives them a bit of a peppery taste–and sprinkle them with some sea salt and fresh herbs. That’s it—take the best ingredients, always all natural, and prepare them simply.”
Evidently there’s some extremely good beef roaming through the Italian countryside, very similar to the quality of what you find here in Alberta. What we were missing was the Italian way of preparing that beef, so Carmelo Rago, owner of the Sorrentino’s conglomerate, decided to remedy that.
Sung first analyzed all of the steakhouses around Edmonton and “didn’t see anything special.” So he hopped on a plane to Las Vegas and ate steak at some of the best steakhouses America has to offer.
Back in Edmonton, armed with a few hints and tips, he went to work designing Bistecca’s menu. “It’s a rustic Italian restaurant that offers great steaks. Alberta has such good beef that we wanted to take advantage of having such a great product.”
Sung isn’t Italian himself, and much of his background is in French cooking. “French cooking is one of the best for learning the fundamentals. Their cooking takes a lot of time. Italian cooking means taking the best products and putting them together in a very simple manner. They are essentially two different worlds.”
So, when Sung joined Sorrentino’s about nine years ago, he had to learn about the Italian side of cooking. “I had to learn every single thing—from the inside and outside. And then I had to build a team, one that works well together. It means I’m constantly learning. I still sometimes work seven days a week.”
Sung oversees both Bistecca and Sorrentino’s downtown (and their chefs, Joon Yoo and Albert Kwok), but his real passion is cooking. “I work side-by-side with my chefs, cooking right along with them. I want them perfect. If I can get them to 80 per cent, I’m happy.”
His mission is to give his clientele “the best meal that they can have, one that no one else can give them. That’s why they come to see you, to get the best.”
And Sung has very definite opinions on what constitutes the best. Bistecca’s carefully set tables, with their pristine white tablecloths, are noticeably lacking in the usual assortment of bottled sauces. Customers even have to ask for salt and pepper. “If you buy a good product, why spice it up? Why ruin the quality of a great steak? It’s my job as a chef to season everything perfectly for you. We test everything before we send it out—when it gets to you, it doesn’t need seasoning.”
He does admit that he has made one concession—ketchup. When Bistecca first opened, there was no ketchup to be found on the premises. “We deep-fry the French fries in olive oil—that makes them healthy yet still taste great. Why would you want to put a convenience food loaded with sugar and salt on them?” But the customer outcry was too strong, so now Bistecca offers ketchup. Ketchup that Sung makes though—it gives him control over the ingredients. But you still won’t find it on the tables.
Sung says that, because he a passion for cooking, he never feels stress. “I own the job, I don’t do the job.” Instead, he calculates and plans ahead. “If something goes wrong, there has to be a reason. You figure out what’s wrong and you fix it.”
But he also admits that something does go wrong every single day. And, with an impish grin, divulges that, “Sometimes you just have to go into the freezer to cool down.”
So yes, Bistecca is a steakhouse, but Sung believes it’s unlike any steakhouse you’ve ever experienced. There’s the rustic Italian menu; there’s the focus on healthy, natural ingredients; and there’s the deceptively simple but utterly delicious treatment of all the menu items, the beef in particular. Just don’t expect the cornucopia of condiments that simply add clutter. V
Sonny Sung
Corporate Executive Chef, Sorrentino’s and Bistecca
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