Robert Sietsema grew up in Illinois, Minnesota, and Texas, and began writing about food while living in New York City’s East Village and playing bass in a band called Mofungo (a misspelling of a beloved Puerto Rican dish of mashed plantains). Circulated among musicians and food writers he admired, his food fanzine, Down the Hatch, detailed the rise of ethnic eateries in New York and around the globe and could be considered a forerunner to the food-blog phenomenon. For the last 12 years, he’s been the restaurant critic for The Village Voice and a regular contributor to Gourmet. Sietsema lives in Greenwich Village with his wife and has a daughter currently studying engineering.
Robert Sietsema
Photograph by Kevin Demaria
Robert Sietsema on gourmet.com
chefs + restaurants
Eight Great Italian Markets in New York City
Successive waves of Italian immigration beginning a century and a half ago have blessed New Yorkers with the country’s best collection of Italian markets.
06.23.09
- Keywords
- eight great,
- new york city,
- italian,
- lou dipalo,
- robert sietsema
chefs + restaurants
Smoked Meat vs. Pastrami
I recently ate the famed smoked meat at Schwartz’s in Montreal, then flew back to New York and had the pastrami at Katz’s later that day. Which was better?
03.24.09
- Keywords
- sandwiches,
- restaurant notes,
- new york,
- montreal,
- robert sietsema
food + cooking
The Hidden Beauty of Winter Herbs
Despite their bedraggled appearance, herbs grown
outdoors this time of year can be even more delicious than their summer
counterparts.
03.04.09
- Keywords
- robert sietsema,
- ingredients,
- winter,
- herbs
food + cooking
Cooking Stars
Before the age of celebrity chefs, there were chef-celebrities. What creations did Humphrey Bogart and Charlton Heston dream up?
12.26.08
- Keywords
- robert sietsema,
- culinary culture,
- cookbooks,
- film
chefs + restaurants
Crunching on Grasshopper Tacos
This Mexican delicacy is meaty, crispy, and strangely addictive. Just close your eyes, and the filling isn’t so different from pork carnitas.
12.22.08
- Keywords
- robert sietsema,
- restaurant notes,
- mexican,
- latino,
- philadelphia
food + cooking
Central Italy’s Infinitely Variable Recipe
How a taste of rich chicken-liver crostini can transport you to the heart of Italy.
12.17.08
- Keywords
- robert sietsema,
- cooking + technique,
- italian,
- bread
chefs + restaurants
First Taste: 10 Downing
This new restaurant has the makings to be a classic: It hits that sweet spot between comfort food and more ambitious dishes.
11.21.08
- Keywords
- robert sietsema,
- first taste,
- new york,
- katy sparks,
- jason neroni
food + cooking
Eat Like a Roman, Part 4: Baking Placenta
No! Not that kind of placenta! Are you kidding?
10.23.08
- Keywords
- robert sietsema,
- cooking + technique,
- eat like a roman,
- baking,
- pastry
chefs + restaurants
First Taste: Porchetta
Nowadays, less is more. Porchetta resembles a bare-bones food stall, but it serves a glorious pork roast.
10.08.08
- Keywords
- robert sietsema,
- first taste,
- new york,
- pork,
- sara jenkins
food + cooking
Minutes of the Institute for Oleic Research, Part 4: Up-to-the-Minute Oils
Which oil is fit for frying and which falls flat? The Institute investigates a wide range of specialty oils.
09.26.08
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