Nathan Toubia on the mend, back at work

Oct. 18, 201210:46 a.m.

It’s been more than six weeks since the Labor Day weekend motorcycle accident that seriously injured Bocconcini Italian Eatery chef and owner Nathan Toubia and his manager/friend Abby Brookshire.

Both are on the mend, and Nathan — who broke both ankles, crushed his pelvis, and fractured his legs in the accident — is back on his feet. Though he’s on crutches and moving slowly, he’s been able to return to the restaurant in a limited capacity. He expedited service last weekend, and he’ll also be helping with prep work at Sunday’s wine dinner at Bocconcini. (You can see the menu below.)

I ran into Nathan at Dillons last night, and he looked good. He won’t be able to put weight on his right leg until early November but says he has “every intention of showing my face as long as the pain is tolerable.”

Abby, meanwhile, also is making progress, according to a Facebook page set up and maintained by her family called “Love for Abby.” She’s also back on her feet and has returned home to Texas with her family to continue her rehab.

Bocconcini’s next wine dinner is at 6 p.m. Sunday and costs $65 a person. Nathan has created a fabulous fall menu that includes lamb shank, apple crumble and something called “wedding pillow ravioli.” Keep reading for the menu. Reservations can be made by calling 316-613-2523.

Read More »

By Denise Neil | Tags: , Filed under Chefs, Italian food, Wine dinners | Comments

Chef Nathan Toubia seriously injured in motorcycle accident

Sept. 5, 201210:19 a.m.

Nathan Toubia at Saturday morning's Iron Chef cookoff.

Chef Nathan Toubia, the owner of Bocconcini Italian Eatery, was seriously injured in a motorcycle accident early Sunday morning. His passenger was critically injured.

Toubia and his friend, who also is his manager at the restaurant, were on his motorcycle at Kellogg and Hillside about 1:30 a.m. Sunday morning when a Ford Mustang turned in front of them and they hit it, my colleague, Stan Finger reported. Both were thrown from the motorcycle. She suffered several serious injuries.

Toubia suffered  a crushed pelvis, broken ankles and fractures in his leg. He underwent a lengthy surgery and will have to be off his feet for at least eight weeks, said Tracy Cumba, who is running the restaurant in Toubia’s absence.

In the meantime, Cumba said, Toubia’s staff will be able to keep the restaurant going. They’re operating normal hours, though they’re all shaken by the accident.

I just saw Toubia and his manager Saturday morning at the Old Town Farmers Market Iron Chef cookoff, where he was the runner-up.  I wish them both a speedy recovery.

By Denise Neil | Tags: , Filed under Chefs | Comments

Flying Stove’s Schauf wins Iron Chef contest

Sept. 4, 201210:41 a.m.

Judge/emcee Mark Davidson with the newly crowned Iron Chef, The Flying Stove's Rob Schauf.

There’s a new Iron Chef in town.

On Saturday morning, I helped judge the 10th annual Iron Chef competition at the Old Town Farmers Market, a competition that pits local chefs against each other in an on-the-spot cookoff, using a “secret ingredient” that’s revealed just before they start.

My cojudges and I —  who included KSN’s morning duo Mark Davidson and Leon Smitherman and local foodie Joe Stumpe — gave the championship wooden spoon to a new competitor — The Flying Stove’s Rob Schauf.

This was Schauf’s first time participating in a local chef-off, and he had some pretty tough competition in Bocconcini’s Nathan Toubia, Tallgrass Country Club’s Ben George, and defending champ Paul Freimuth of The Hyatt. Those three are among Wichita’s most amiable chefs and participate in nearly every cookoff in town.

The judges sampling more delicious food than should be legal before 10 a.m.

The secret ingredient was long beans, and after a shaky start (he appeared frozen by indecision at times), Schauf created a plate that made the crunchy beans the star. He cooked beef rare and topped it with the sauteed beans and served it alongside a potato puree. The judges were fighting for the last bites.

Customers at the Flying Stove rarely see Schauf, who is the culinary brains behind the food truck. He’s always inside, his back to the public, churning out the gourmet food while his friendly, chatty brother Jeff mans the window. He had a big cheering section at the competition, and afterward, The Flying Stove opened on the edge of the Farmers Market to a line 50 people deep.

Here are a few more photos from the event. Read More »

By Denise Neil | Tags: , , , , , , Filed under Chefs, Contests | Comments

Local chefs to throw down Saturday, Iron Chef style

Aug. 27, 20125:36 p.m.

The Hyatt's Paul Freimuth will defend his Iron Chef on Saturday morning at the Old Town Farmer's Market.

The 10th annual Iron Chef Competition at the Old Town Farmers Market is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. Saturday at the market at First and Mosley.

The competition pits local chefs against each other, cooking live with a “secret ingredient” they learn about just as the competition begins. The reigning champion, Paul Freimuth from the Hyatt’s Harvest Kitchen/Bar will be there defending his title. His competition will be Nathan Toubia from Bocconcini Italian Eatery, Ben George from Tallgrass Country Club, and — in a public appearance first — Rob Schauf from The Flying Stove. (The chef is notoriously shy and usually lets his brother and partner, Jeff, do the talking and appearing.)

The Flying Stove will serve in Old Town Square that day from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday. The Old Town Farmer’s Market is open from 7 a.m. to noon.

By Denise Neil | Tags: , , , , , Filed under Chefs | Comments

Learn to cook with the pros

Oct. 5, 20114:44 p.m.

There’s all sorts of cooking school awesomeness going on in Wichita over the next couple of weeks.

One is over at Cooking at Bonnie’s Place, where on Tuesday, chef Nathan Toubia of Bocconcini Italian Eatery will demonstrate how to make some of his specialties, including pancetta-wrapped shrimp, polenta cakes with red garlic sauce and panna cotta. His class is at 6:30 p.m. and costs $45 a person. To make a reservation, visit Bonnie’s website.

Another is the Taste of Home Cooking School, which is in its second year at Hartman Arena. The show is from 3 to 7 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 14, and will feature cooking demonstrations, shopping and prizes geared for home cooks. Tickets are $15 at the door or $12 in advance at Ashley Furniture Home Store, 10711 W. 21st N. or at Furniture on Consignment 4502 E. 13th St.

By Denise Neil | Tags: , , Filed under Chefs, Cooking demos | Comments

Bocconcini closed until Friday

Aug. 11, 201110:41 a.m.

Exactly two weeks after opening the doors of his much-anticipated restaurant — Bocconcini Italian Eatery — owner Nathan Toubia had to shut the doors for a couple of days.

The problem he’s having is TOO much success. The numbers for his first two weeks of operation were double what he expected, and he quickly learned that a few areas of his restaurant weren’t quite ready. He decided to close the restaurant yesterday and today to change out his point of service system (the computer system that sends orders to the kitchen), install a new dishwasher and put in a bigger ice machine.

Toubia’s liquor license also came through, so he’s using his two-day closing to get his wine and beer offerings organized and ready to go.

Closing for a couple of days was his only option, he said.

“I would rather take care of my customers to the fullest, and I felt like we weren’t up to par with the way we were were going,” he said.

Bocconcini (whose closing was somewhat inopportunely timed in that it was the VERY DAY Carrie Rengers decided to stop in for lunch) will reopen on Friday morning. Hours for now are 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. Toubia is toying with the idea of staying open till midnight on Fridays and Saturdays now that he has his liquor license, but he hasn’t decided for sure.

By the way: The most popular dish on Toubia’s menu so far has been the toasted ravioli, he said.

By Denise Neil | Tags: , Filed under Italian food | Comments

Toubia chooses name: Bocconcini Italian Eatery

July 1, 201110:29 a.m.

Local chef and Bocco Deli owner Nathan Toubia is hard at work on his new Italian restaurant, which he hopes to have open mid-July in the old Sugar Sisters space at 4811 E. Central.

In the meantime, he’s chosen a name: Bocconcini Italian Eatery. “Bocconcini” (bohk-kohn-CHEE-nee) means “small mouthfuls” in Italian (even though the word itself is a big mouthful.) It’s the same name Toubia gave to the catering business he opened in 2009.

Toubia, son of the late Latour founder Antoine Toubia, says the name will make even  more sense when we see his menu, which he says I can take a look at next week. I’ll share what I learn.

By Denise Neil | Tags: , , Filed under About-to-open, Italian food | Comments

Bocco Deli’s Italian dinner night

March 7, 201110:57 a.m.

When I reviewed Bocco Deli last month, I was most intrigued to find out that chef and owner Nathan Toubia puts on once-a-month Italian dinners.

At the time I wrote the review, February’s was already sold out. But now he has March’s dinner on the books, and if you hurry, you might be able to get a spot. (He only has 30.)

The five-course meal will start with appetizers at 6:30 p.m. March 19 at the restaurant, 3010 E. Central.

It’ll start with an appetizer of wild mushroom frico followed by a caesar salad with house-made dressing. For the main course, Nathan will serve a grilled chicken breast layered with prosciutto, eggplant and fresh mozzarella cheese. It’ll be topped with house made marinara saucee and served on top of creamy polenta and broccoli rabe.

After a lemon mint sorbet palate cleanser, he’ll serve dessert: The restaurant’s heavenly tiramisu.

The dinner costs $30 a person. Call 316-558-8412 to make a reservation.

By Denise Neil | Tags: , Filed under Italian food | Comments