Nancy Silverton

Cookbook author; co-founder, La Brea Bakery; and chef,
Pizzeria Mozza and Osteria Mozza
Los Angeles, California

With her mop of curly hair piled high on her head, it’s

impossible not to notice chef Nancy Silverton behind the bar at

Osteria Mozza, the restaurant she co-owns with Mario Batali, in

Los Angeles. The chef best known for making some of the greatest

bread in the United States and the author of countless cookbooks,

including Breads from the La Brea Bakery (which I’ve used to

make sourdough bread with a natural yeast starter), is a quirky,

dramatic presence.

“I’m not one of those chefs who likes to wander around the

dining room chatting with customers,” she tells me. “I need to be

behind the counter handling food.”

Handling food is what Silverton does best; whether she’s

prepping a focaccia for the oven or a simple plate of Prosciutto

San Daniele with Warren Pear and Pomegranate Seeds, her hands

are her primary tools.

“My mom always told me that I was terrific with my hands,”

she says. “For years, I took art classes and didn’t believe her. It

was only after I started cooking that I understood what she

meant.”