Like most parents, Alex Tung is trying to find work-life balance. The chef and father of two young children recently left his job as executive chef at Burnaby’s Cotto Enoteca Pizzeria to take on a position that would allow him to spend more time with his family. In March, Tung became the new corporate chef for La Grotta Del Formaggio, the Italian deli at 1791 Commercial Drive that’s also a wholesale distributor of specialty ingredients.

“One of the great things about work with La Grotta is that I now tend to be home for dinner,” Tung tells the Georgia Straight during a recent interview at the company’s Vancouver warehouse. “As a chef, I was in my restaurant 12 to 14 hours a day, and I felt guilty when I was at the restaurant that I wasn’t spending time with my kids.”

The change in pace has been a major adjustment for Tung. The Toronto-born chef worked in New York for the likes of Jean-Georges Vongerichten and Daniel Boulud after graduating from the New England Culinary Institute in Vermont. A short stay in Vancouver on the way to San Francisco turned into a permanent move after the chef met his wife while cooking at the Wedgewood Hotel. In his role at La Grotta, Tung works with restaurants across the Lower Mainland, supplying them with authentic ingredients imported from Italy.

“As a chef before, I could influence the taste of my guests with my cooking. Now I can influence the tastes of the whole city, because it’s my products that are being showcased throughout the city,” he says.

Even though Tung now has more time to cook at home, he still opts for quick and simple meals to feed his family. He advises parents to plan meals at the beginning of the week to avoid making multiple trips to the grocery store and to use leftovers more effectively.

“I think it boils down to time. It’s a lot of work to shop, prepare, and cook for a family,” Tung says.

On busy weeknights, Tung often makes risotto, which he says can be made in about half an hour using whatever vegetables and meats home cooks have on hand. The chef prefers carnaroli rice over arborio because its larger kernels yield more starch, producing a creamier risotto. To drink, Tung enjoys pairing the dish with Vivace Pinot Grigio from Osoyoos’s LaStella Winery.

Alex Tung’s Risotto with Garden Vegetables

Ingredients

1 cup (250 mL) zucchini, diced
1 cup (250 mL) carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
1 cup (250 mL) radishes, quartered
1 cup (250 mL) Swiss chard, ribs removed and roughly sliced
½ cup (125 mL) fresh corn kernels
½ cup (125 mL) fresh green peas, shelled
½ cup (125 mL) kale, ribs removed and sliced
½ cup (125 mL) green beans, stems removed and sliced
4 cups (1 L) vegetable stock
3 Tbsp (45 mL) rice bran oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 celery stalks, finely chopped
2 cups (500 mL) carnaroli rice
1¼ cup (310 mL) dry white wine
5 Tbsp (75 mL) extra-virgin olive oil
½ cup (125 mL) grated Parmigiano Reggiano
Balsamic vinegar to taste

Method

1. Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add vegetables and cook for 2 minutes, or until fork-tender. Drain and set vegetables aside.
    
2. In a medium saucepan, bring stock to a boil, reduce heat, and keep warm on low heat.
    
3. Add rice bran oil to a large pot or risotto pan over medium heat and slowly sweat onion, garlic, and celery. Cook for 10 minutes or until soft.
    
4. Increase heat to high and add rice to pan. Stir in rice and toast until rice kernels are slightly translucent.
    
5. Add wine and deglaze the pan by scraping down the sides and bottom.
    
6. When the wine has mostly evaporated, lower heat slightly and add a ladleful of hot stock to the pan. Stir the rice, and when stock has mostly evaporated, add another ladleful. Repeat step for about 15 minutes.
    
7. When rice is al dente, season with salt and pepper. Fold in vegetables and remove from heat.
    
8. Add olive oil and cheese, and mix well. Cover with a lid for 1 minute before serving. Divide risotto between 4 bowls and finish with balsamic vinegar and extra olive oil to taste.

Yield: 4 entrée-sized servings.

Recipe has not been tested by the Georgia Straight.