ChefS

Denise Appel

Denise Appel, native of Glasonbury, Connecticut, was deeply affected by her Grandmother Katherine’s passions and steady habits. Her Gram cooked for the nuns in a convent all of her life. Upon her retirement, she helped care for Denise and her six brothers and sisters. This began the first and most important apprenticeship of Denise’s life. Gram planted an extensive garden every year and stressed the importance of cultivating and maintaining native vegetables and fruits. She then produced countless memorable meals from the fruits of their labors. Gardening, cooking, caring for those she loved left an indelible mark on Denise. With her childhood memories and devotion to her grandmother’s memory, Denise realized early on that cooking is her passion and that what you harvest are most often the finest ingredients in any kitchen.

Denise has by all counts been wildly successful in her passion and in her vision. At Zinc, the food is “market inspired cooking with global techniques” and reflects her culinary influences as well as her philosophy. With an ever-changing seasonal menu, Denise’s trademark cuisine features regionally farmed produce and cheeses, hormone- and antibiotic-free beef, veal and poultry, and fresh, non-endangered line-caught fish.

The commitment to seeking out the freshest high-quality ingredients available has also lead Denise to many charitable organizations in Connecticut and the surrounding area. She has been regularly involved with Les Chef Femme and Interval House, Working Lands Alliance, supporting farmland preservation, SlowFood USA, supporting convivial traditions of the table and the James Beard House in New York.

 

Jeff Sansone

A native of Naugatuck, Connecticut, Jeff grew up in a close Italian-American family where cooking, food and celebrations were a regular part of daily life. Jeff discovered early that he loved being in the kitchen.

He began working in restaurants, bartending and waiting tables, cooking constantly at home and taking new inspiration for early cooking shows and cookbooks by Julia Child and Paul Prudhomme.

He enrolled in the Center for Culinary Arts in Cromwell, Connecticut and within two years of completing his culinary training, Jeff rose to the position as Sous Chef in ZINC’s kitchen. His curiosity, determination and skill have made his position invaluable. Jeff was instrumental in the conception of CHOW New Haven, along side Co-Owners Donna Curran and Chef Denise Appel. He left ZINC’s kitchen to open and manage CHOW, guiding one of New Haven’s most popular downtown locations to success.

Jeff returned to the Sous Chef position and continues to take on additional responsibilities in ZINC and CHOW New Haven, while Chef Denise Appel oversees operations for both restaurants and the Spring 2008 opening of CHOW West Hartford.

He lives in New Haven with his wife and baby daughter and does his part for our environment by walking to work every day.

 

Alba Estenoz

Pastry Chef Alba Estenoz was born in Mérida, Spain. As a child, Alba played in her uncle's Pastelería, and quickly grew to love the art of baking. After studying cultural anthropology at the University of Seville, she went back to her roots, and in 1995 she began designing her desserts at the acclaimed Shoreline Grill in Austin, Texas. In 2001, Alba returned to Spain and joined Madrid’s prestigious El Gran Barril, and infused her creations with modern Spanish flavors and influences. Alba became the pastry chef at Zinc in 2003 and found culinary synergy. At both Zinc and Chow, Alba appeals to the clients’ memories of traditional pastries while using a more playful, contemporary approach towards dessert making. She lives in New Haven with her husband Joel, their son Noah, and their dog, Oreo.