Biznik Blog

To call Tiberio Simone a chef would be like calling the Space Needle a building. He’s a chef all right, but it’s everything else that he brings to the table that makes him–and his culinary genius–an unforgettable work of art. His business, La Figa Catering, is all about the creation of exotic culinary experiences.

If I had to describe him in a single word, I would probably choose “pizzazz: an attractive combination of vitality and glamor.” But one word could never do him justice. So I’ll get out of the way and let him use any many words as he wants to describe himself.

Q: Before I ask you what’s cooking, can you tell me something about where you’re from, and how you came to Seattle?

I lived almost my life in South of Italy near the city of Lecce (the Italian will describe Lecce as La Firenze of South Italy for the amazing architecture of the Barocco), in the village of Neviano. Situated on the heel of the boot of Southeast Italy across the Adriatic Sea, my life there was a real challenge full of abuse and work. I was forced to work in the farm for long hours and no free days except Christmas, Easter, the Day of the Mother Protective of Neviano, La Madonna delle Nevi (the Madonna of the Snow) and few other days. With my free time (night or siesta time) I would make trouble. Even so, I would get caught. I guess that was play time. Life went on with the challenge, escaping home as much as I could for the hate I had against everybody except my mother and my little sister. As a young boy one day I told my Mom, “If I have the chance one day I will be leaving as far as possible from home.” The story is way too long to continue, so I will skip a bunch.

I came to Seattle in 1990 when I was 21 year old, to visit this amazing woman I meet in Siena (Tuscany). We had a long-distance passionate love affair for almost three years. In Italy my life was super different at that time. I was part of special government military troops, which at that time was pretty amazing and painful at the same time. The amazing part was meeting my first love Rebecca who became my girl friend and I fell in love. I came to Seattle to spend the summer with my girlfriend after I quit the military job without saying anything to my parents, until one day they got a phone call from me saying “Mom, I am getting married.” I let you imagine how an Italian mother will react to that.

Q: When did you start learning too cook?

As a kid, very young, I would run away from home for few days. There was a women and my grandmother that would hide me at her house, but I could not go outside for not to be found. She thought my Dad would kill me. So instead my play time was cooking with them and the ingredients we had available. I will never forget how hard was kneading the dough for bread for long time with my little arms, and stirring with the big wooden spoon the marmalade in the copper pot over the fire in the big fireplace. Also I loved to help mom to feed the fire for the boiling water for the cooking of the pasta. I remember one day I had this amazing idea to help my mom as much as I could–specially in the winter time, when it was freezing out–that way I could skip picking olives in the farm.

Professionally I started cooking In Seattle. At that time when I got married, I really didn’t have much skill beside working in the farm, or being a warrior. So I meet the family who owns an Italian restaurant, which at that time was not open yet, I asked if could help on developing the place for free. Their mother Mamma Melina asked me if I will like to help on the cooking. So I accepted. In the process of learning professionally, many memories came to my mind from my cooking life in Italy. So I became  a professional cook in less than a month. The place is called Mamma Melina Ristorante Italiano.
 

Q: How did you go from your first restaurant job to winning the culinary equivalent of an Oscar, The James Beard Award?

That is another long story but I will try to keep as short I can. My next job was working for the Westin Hotel for the fine dining restaurant, The Palm Court. At that time my shift was working at night and my ex-wife was working in the morning, so because I was bored I asked the pastry department if I could work for free in the morning for the sake of learning. I did that for over a year, for about 25-30 hours per week. I learn more that year than someone who was working full time for 8 years. Because every day I would do something different, rather than the routine that everyone would have to do for six month straight.

My passion for dessert developed very rapidly when I got an offer to work as an assistant pastry chef, so I did that for a year. The Four Season’s Olympic Hotel offered me a job for less pay and I decided to take it. At the Olympic hotel there was a lot opportunity to grow because the higher quality and the higher budget on the food. One day I saw a flyer regarding a James Beard Award, at that time I really didn’t know much, so I entered for the competition. For two weeks I tried my different recipe, but none of that would satisfy my need. One day after so much frustration, I came up with something way too delicious made from three different chocolates, hazelnuts, burned short bread crumbs, Italian meringue, Khalua, Amaretto, Frangelico, hazelnut paste and other delicious ingredients. That was the birth of The Triple Decadent Crunch.

There were five competitions before the finale in New York. I couldn’t believe to what was going on. I kept winning and winning, until the big one. When I arrived to New York, I was very nervous and scared as hell. With my wife next to me, it made it a little bit easier. I remember how proud of me she was. At the competition there were so many different desserts from amazing chefs, mostly from New York. At that point I really did not care to win. I felt lucky enough to arrive to New York. The competition started and it lasted quite a while. After the judge tried the dessert, I noticed that they took my cake and put it on the side, so I thought I was the first one to be eliminated. When they introduced the winner I was outside, almost like embarrassed to be inside. Then they almost forced me to go in and they announced the first place: Tiberio Simone.

I couldn’t believe to my ears. My wife started to cry for the joy. I didn’t know what to think or what to do. I got so exited that I was feeding chocolate to everyone with my fingers and the executive telling me calm down. I didn’t care–I won! It felt like I was on the top of the world, it was incredible. The first price was a $10,000 trip to Bushant in France. And a 60-year-old Bushant Cognac which I still have (I may sell it. It worth about $8000.)

Q: I don’t know anyone who is as passionate about food, about life, and about women as you are. It’s totally infectious. Where does that come from?

I do not really know how to answer to this one, but I can try. Let’s see…
I believe that food is life. When I was a kid I would be looking forward to eat to feel something warm in me, every bite I would take I will say something such as “che buono” (is yummy) or “mmmmmmmmmmmm” or “mamma mia.” Part of that was because  I knew that will bring a smile to the sad face of my mamma, which was the only pleasure she would get. I guess by doing that all the time it almost got tattooed in my heart, the love of felling good over something simple such as food.

One day I told my mom that I will be a cook, that way I wouldn’t have to go to work in the cold whether, but more than that, I would cook for all the people, especially all the women, of any age. Because I knew that somehow they would love me.

You know what is totally true? It is very sexy to cook beautiful food from the heart. People feel the love. But not all the people–the ones that have a heart, or at least a little. I am passionate about life because at one time I had  a really shitty one. I love women because I respect them and the love for la mamma, my little sister Pia, my grandmother Nonna Lina, and her best friend, Carmela. I always will feel this way is the way life came to me. It’s almost like  after every hurricane is always the day of sunshine, and I am shining at this time at my life. And I will like to avoid any more hurricanes.  

Q: What are the things that matter most to you right now?

Wow, all this are very good question Dan. Are you going to ask me out after this intervew? The things that matter to me right now are few. The number one is to my friend (and fellow Biznik member) Barbara Crummins [who was diagnosed last week with cancer], that she will not die suffering from this terrible cancer and that all my good energy (included with the ones of the rest of her friends) her will help her. I also will like to fall in love, and I did in Italy in my last visit. I am pretty positive but the problem is one: we are 9000 miles away. So I do not know how that will work while I am here and be around to all this temptation of beautiful incredible yummy people. Somehow it is really hard for me to fall in love here. I have way too many wonderful people around so I get distracted very easy, and the thing is  I love everybody that I see something beautiful in.

Let see… one more. My health and the health of my mamma. Oh I almost forgot, my business.

Q: How does someone like you, who knows half of Seattle, benefit from participation in a business networking group like Biznik? Isn’t your business network already well established?

In Biznik there are a kick ass super cool people, how I could stay away. Plus in business there is never enough contacts. That is the nature of continuing doing business. I always will be looking for new beautiful real people to enjoy my amazing beautiful food. If you know any, please let me meet them. I will behave, I promise, I will only kiss on the first date. HA HA (HEYY I am kidding!)

Q: You’ve been successfully self-employed for many years. Do you have any advice you would give to someone starting out in business for themselves?

Yes, I have an advice. The main thing is set yourself conformable in the financial way, when I used to work for the corporation America, I always saved money  as much I could, for owning a house was very important because most of my life in Italy I was in the street, so I took care of that. Now I own my house so having a house mate is an income, having that part covered, it is much easier to work for yourself because one can relax more and not rush to any thing that comes, because that can lead to some mistake.

I also never believed in credit cards because those plastic things, they only put one behind and it is so hard to catch up. And that creates stress, especially if one is in a relationship, so I do not buy anything unless I have the money. A great way to save money is to learn to cook for yourself and to make lattes at home. Those things seem small, but it actually is very big. In the long run you will save a lot. Also to save money one doesen’t need to make a lot–just make sure to use those money wisely. Also is very important to create trust with the people you will do business with, and giving is another big one because in America the majority dosen’t give enough, and one does not to give a lot to be a giver. I hope I answered to the question.

I wish to every one to succeed in your ambition, I think if one believes to what they want to do, and they do it from the heart in combination of saving some money when is possible, and to be real and honest, with time it will work. The last thing: promise less and deliver more. Con affetto!

Tiberio’s catering firm is La Figa Catering
Photos from one of Tiberio’s cooking classes held at our house

This entry was posted on Friday, February 10th, 2006 at 8:24 am and is filed under Interviews. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.