For Alon Shaya, executive chef and partner of Domenica, authenticity is his most prized ingredient. His passion for crafting traditional Italian cuisine has garnered high praise and seen his restaurant quickly rise into the city’s top tier. But for Shaya, authenticity goes beyond the precious execution of generations-old recipes; it extends to the fields and barns of Louisiana’s local farmers and livestock producers.

Alon Shaya, Chef, Domenica Restaurant

In this week’s episode of OffBeat’s Look-Ka Py Py Podcast, Shaya takes host Zachary Young through the quartering of a 600-pound pig as he explains why the relationship between chef and farmer lies at the center of his vision. Chappapeela Farms’ Rebecca Lirette, the animal’s prior steward, echoes Shaya’s sentiments and tells of the painstaking labor of love involved in rearing livestock as she recounts the story of Shaya’s first visit to her Amite, Louisiana farm.

[powerpress image=”https://www.offbeat.com/wp-content/uploads/powerpress/2012/11/domenica-look-ka-py-py-podcast.m4a”]