Chef Nick LaRosa of Nook Kitchen in Phoenix
A few decades ago, Nick LaRosa was a plump kid being raised in Connecticut. He spent much of his days at the corner of the kitchen counter, awaiting a savory sample of his grandmother’s cooking. Those youthful days, loaded with classic Italian cuisine, would serve as crucial inspiration for Chef LaRosa’s eventual career. Now, Nick has a handful of spots around town including his main project, the Italian restaurant Nook Kitchen. Nook is situated in Arcadia, making many of the same classic Italian recipes that Chef LaRosa was raised on.
Sicilian Influence
Nick LaRosa’s Sicilian background meant that when he was growing up, the kitchen was the center of the house. The wonderful food his family would lovingly craft was an influence on Nick from as early as he can recall. A continuous stream of cookies and other snacks flowed from Nick’s grandma, who was consistently a special individual in his life. Around the age of ten, Nick began helping around the kitchen. Over the course of frequent family dinners and gatherings, Nick developed a fondness for working with food. When college came around LaRosa attended Johnson & Wales University in Providence, studying cooking and picking up two degrees. As Nick was learning about mise en place and processes at school, he was also working part time at a family members’ bar. Chef LaRosa’s first big break came when he scored a job at a super high-end country club. While working at the country club Chef LaRosa experimented with some of the best ingredients in the world, flown in as fresh as possible. After some time cooking for high-profile and ultra-wealthy individuals, Nick moved on from his work at the country club. Chef followed some family out to Arizona, and Nick quickly fell in love with the state. His career shifted into front of house work, where Nick spent a few years gaining vital experience. Eventually, Chef LaRosa found his way back into the kitchen. After impressing a countless people with his food, Nick worked his way into an ownership position with his business partner at Nook Kitchen. Ever since, Chef LaRosa has solidified his reputation as a top Chef and Restaurateur here in the Central Valley.
Italian Food at Nook Kitchen in Arcadia
Chef LaRosa’s style of cooking shines best at his premier restaurant, Nook Kitchen in Arcadia. Nestled inside a charming building off of Indian School and 44th, a visit to Nook is a sublime experience. Upon entering the restaurant, the sweeping modern aesthetic seizes visitors’ attention. The beautiful interior feels warm, perhaps in part because of the stunning wood-fired pizza oven tucked into the back corner. The smell of flames baking fresh pies seduces patrons one by one as they sip craft cocktails and local beers. The menu is a modernized version of the foods that Chef LaRosa grew up with. The wood-fired pizzas from Nook include classic fare like Margherita and Prosciutto varieties. One of our favorites, the Florentine, is a vegetarian pie sure to satisfy any palate. Some of the most delectable dishes at Nook are the rotating options. From the shrimp burgers, to mud pie mousse (served with a gummy worm), the ever developing menu at Nook Kitchen always impresses.
More Achievements
Chef LaRosa seems to be one of those individuals that constantly has something new going on. Over the previous few years Nick has run several restaurants and bars including Dilly Dally in Arcadia and The Bar in Phoenix. Nick’s culinary endeavours also brought him to the famed cooking show Chopped on two occasions. One of those visits saw Chef LaRosa taking home the magnificent prize of $10,000. A few months ago Nick LaRosa was involved in a beer collaboration with Helton Brewing Company and a group of chefs, including Tamara Stanger and Jeff Kraus.
