Sharing a passion for food

Wilmington Farmers Market regular debuts cookbook

Bruce Coulter bcoulter@wickedlocal.com
Chef Michael Fucci has shared his passion for cooking for more than two decades. Courtesy photo

Chef Mike Fucci got his start as a young man with a passion for food -– one that has continued his entire life.

Fucci, who lives in Watertown and is a regular at the Wilmington Farmers Market, learned to cook from his uncle, Chef Michael Fucci, and eventually opened two restaurants and a nightclub. He has consulted for several restaurants and also owns a catering business, Chef Mike’s. He has created a pair of barbecue sauces -- Sweet Heat and Sweet Gold.

Fucci also recently published his first cookbook, “Michael Fucci’s Delicious Attitude.”

In addition to taking the time to answer a few questions, Fucci offered this advice to home cooks, “Cooking isn’t hard to do if you just focus and take pride in what you’re doing. You do not need to be a famous TV chef to be great at cooking. You’ll do just fine in the comfort of your own kitchen.”

Related story: Chef Mike shares his recipe for scallops and salsa

Where does your love for cooking from?

For close to 90 years, my family has been in the restaurant business. I’m a third-generation chef. I believe it comes from being in my blood and it’s what I was meant to do.

Why did you decide to write "Delicious Attitude"?

I wrote “Michael Fucci’s Delicious Attitude” because I wanted to share some of my top recipes from my 21 years as a chef. I also wanted to show my respect for my late uncle, chef Michael Fucci. I’d been debating whether or not to write a cookbook for several years, and with the horrendous winter we just had, I found it the perfect opportunity.

You’ve created two barbecue sauces. How long did it take to develop each before you went public with them?

With my first barbecue sauce, “Chef Mike’s Sweet Heat,” I played around with the recipe for close to three months before deciding it was good enough to present to the public. Once sold to the public, they asked for a second sauce, so I went back to my test kitchen and developed “Chef Mike’s Sweet Gold,” which took around two months to develop. I love my barbecue sauces because they have a different and unique flavor than other barbecue sauces on the market. I take my time when making the barbecue sauces and do not add any fillers to them. They are pure deliciousness.

Why do you participate in farmers markets?

I am a very grounded individual and believe that meeting the public and interacting with my customers is important. No one can describe my product better than me.

Why do you donate 100 percent of proceeds from Chef Mike T-shirt sales to charity?

I love to give back. I give as much as I can to the community by coaching youth hockey and always being there for the kids that are in need. My charity, "Chef Mike's Helping Hands," feeds more than 200 families for the holidays with the year-round sales of my T-shirts available at my online store, chefmikefood.com. One hundred percent of all sales go toward feeding families in need.

How do you encourage young cooks?

Not every child in the world is going to be a rocket scientist, a doctor or a lawyer, but every child has an opportunity to have a love for the culinary industry. I want to pass on my passion for creating and inspiring to any child that shows even the smallest interest in cooking. I share my cooking videos, recipes, time in the kitchen and encourage parents to let their kids cook once a week. I teach kids that from the sandwich shop to a Michelin star restaurant, as long as they have passion and goals they can achieve them, and know using something as universal as food can help them have the confidence and self-pride they deserve.

DELICIOUS ATTITUDE

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EMAIL chefmike03@gmail.com

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