Coffee with the Chef: John Vitale of Caffe Anello in Westwood

Although John Vitale, the 33-year-old chef at Caffe Anello in Westwood, has no formal background in cooking, his family ties to the pursuit run generations deep — the Cresskill resident grew up in the kitchen with his parents and grandparents, all of whom were "tremendous cooks." And though he spent a few years cooking for campus restaurants during his years at Elon University in North Carolina, Caffe Anello, which Vitale opened with his wife, Alissa, nine months ago, represents his first foray into the world of fine dining. It received three out of four stars from The Record.

Here, he talks about mushy pasta, Snickers bars, and why Americans use too much salt.

Biggest mistake home cooks make: Not being creative enough — it's the key. For example, cook with orange champagne and garlic, and reduce it down to a garlic shrimp dish, instead of just doing traditional scampi, so you'll get the citrus flavors, too.

Culinary hero: My mother. That's where I learned everything, and it would be her over anyone.

What I would never pay for at a restaurant: Any pasta dish, because we make and cut our own fresh. So I'm expecting boxed pasta, and it's just not as good as fresh cut pasta. It's a major difference, and I don't think people know that.

Best dish I ever ate: It was wild boar ragout over fresh-cut pappardelle at La Campana in Rome, Italy. It was so unique — it was done in a very rich sauce that used fresh tomatoes reduced in a brown sauce, which is something I've never seen before.

At a vending machine with a buck, I get: A Snickers. It's the only candy bar that can actually quench your appetite, and I like the salty and sweet combination.

My favorite tool in the kitchen: Sauté pans. I have several going at one time because we don't fry anything here.

Most overused spice: Salt. There's too much of it on too many dishes. I think it's compensation; it's used to mask things that aren't as fresh as they should be. People use it on everything, but there are a lot of other spices I'd rather go heavy on, like garlic. I can't get enough garlic.

Strangest request from a diner: Once, a diner asked me to make sure that the pasta came out mushy. They did not want it al dente. That's just a sin.

Most overrated food: The steaks at a lot of restaurants are overrated. I use Westwood Prime Meats, and they take the time to bring in the highest quality stuff you can get. So when I go to a fine dining restaurant, and I order a steak and pay a lot of money, it's a big disappointment after having had their quality.

I hate it when diners: Ask for more salt on anything. We don't even have it on the table.

The next food fad is: Crepes. They're a large part of European and Asian culture, and I don't see a lot of places doing them.

Presentation is important because: Your eyes, mouth, and nose are completely connected. I don't send anything out of the kitchen that doesn't look like something I'd want to be served.

My favorite dish to cook: "Chef's suggestion tonight." When a diner comes in and says that's what they want, it means they don't have boundaries for what they're willing to try, and it allows me to be creative.

More info: Caffe Anello, 429 Broadway, Westwood; 201-786-8137; caffeanello.com. Appetizers: $8 to $15, entrées $13 to $36.

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