By Sue Moretti Bodson
Debra Ponzek has been a food icon in Greenwich for several decades as an acclaimed Chef, James Beard Foundation Award winner, and co-owner of Aux Délices with her husband, Greg Addonizio. But even with her stellar culinary background, she was thrilled to find out she had the opportunity to work with Lidia Bastianich, renowned chef, TV star, and author of multiple best-selling cookbooks. For Ponzek, it will be just one more step in her own incredible journey as a Chef and community resource.
Debra Ponzek’s passion for food began at a young age, “I have loved to cook since I was a young girl, but after high school, it wasn’t something I considered as a career. I always enjoyed being in the kitchen and experimenting with new recipes! After attending college for two years, I decided that pursuing cooking would be much better suited than the engineering career I was going to school for.”
Debra’s philosophy behind her food is simple and relatable; “I want to make food that is healthy, delicious, and accessible to all of our customers.” The mother of three loves classic combinations but likes to put a modern twist on those dishes. “We want to make food that will help make our customers’ lives easier and more delicious!” she explains. Making mealtime easy for her clients is paramount. “I want them to know they are getting food made from scratch, with no additives or preservatives. To this day, we make our own mayonnaise, our stocks are made from scratch, and we continually source the best products for our shops.”
Inside the four lower-Fairfield County locations with the well-recognized blue and yellow awnings, the most popular items at Aux Délices range from ginger scones and breakfast stratas in the morning to mini baguette sandwiches, avocado sandwiches and arugula salads as customer favorites for lunch. Chicken pot pies, chicken parmesan, and turkey bolognese over spaghetti squash are also very popular for dinner. As for what she has enjoyed herself, “I have been so lucky to have eaten some fantastic meals and innovative dishes-so it is really hard to narrow it down! The first time I ate at Eleven Madison Park was truly an amazing experience, as was the fried bologna sandwich at Turkey and The Wolf in New Orleans!”
Currently, Ponzek’s most rewarding part of being a chef is about appreciating the basics of the kitchen and passing them on through mentorship. “These days, I enjoy working with our chefs at Aux Delices and collaborating with them to carry out our shared vision and ideas. I love being at ease in any kitchen and the camaraderie that comes along with this career. I love the feel of a good knife, a well-made heavy saucepan, and the creativity to be inspired by any type of food I see. I enjoy visiting a farmers market and know that I can put together a delicious meal for my family based on what looks good that day.”
When asked what chefs have influenced her, Ponzek praises several legends. “I have always truly admired the talent of so many chefs, including Jean George Vongerichten, Alain Ducasse, David Burke, Dennis Foy, Nancy Silverton, and many more.” Ponzek herself is exceptionally charitable and community-driven, “I also am influenced by chefs who continue to give back to their community or have helped inspire others to do the same.” She credits other female trailblazers, “women chefs that have helped pave the way for others, like Sarabeth Levine, Joanne Chang, Traci Des Jardins, Sara Moulton and of course Lidia Bastianich,” explains Ponzek.
Later this month, Person to Person (P2P), a nonprofit provider of essential services for people in need in Fairfield County, will hold its Transforming Lives Luncheon at 11:30 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 27, at Greenwich Country Club, featuring Emmy-winning chef/author Lidia Bastianich in conversation with Debra Ponzek.
When asked about collaborating with Lidia Bastianich, Ponzek excitedly talked about working with both an idol and a role model of giving back to the community. “I was thrilled with the idea of collaborating with Lidia-it is such an honor! I think together; we can raise awareness of all the inspiring work that P2P does and of all the people and families that they help. We have both done a lot of charity work, but Lidia is such a talented national celebrity chef that anything she is involved in will make people take notice.”
The actual level of food insecurity in lower Fairfield County is not widely known or understood by many. “I think events like this definitely help educate everyone as to the level of need in our county. I don’t think people are aware as they should be when it comes to food insecurity, so hopefully, this luncheon will help raise that awareness. It’s a bigger problem than people realize, given the affluence of the surrounding towns. Many people do not realize how many people count on food banks to assist them in their day-to-day lives.”
Guests at P2P’s Transforming Lives Luncheon will enjoy a three-course gourmet meal selected by Bastianich and prepared by Greenwich Country Club’s executive chef Alejandro Abad. All guests will receive a signed copy of Bastianich’s latest cookbook, “A Pot, A Pan, and a Bowl.” A longtime supporter of P2P, she also donated pasta and sauce from her LIDIA’S brand to feed thousands of families through the P2P food pantries during the COVID-19 pandemic. Tickets for the benefit are available at: p2pHelps.org/TLL