At The Table With….Ana Quincoces

Ana Quincoces has had a busy couple of years: the cookbook author was voted Miami’s Hottest Chef in 2011, has launched a food line called Skinny Latina, worked on a third (and fourth) book, and joined the cast of Real Housewives of Miami (the new season premieres August 12). She says she enjoyed her first season with the show, but for the second season, her role has been pared back. And that’s just fine by her.

“It’s gone in a direction that is inconsistent with my personality,” Ana says. “I never would have fit in. I come on only a tiny bit in the trailer but I’m so glad. There’s topless girls grabbing each others’ boobs. A sixty-year old woman grinding on top of a young man. It’s just not me.”

Instead, she’s been busy building her brand. She’s working on a cookbook for Miami’s famous Versailles Restaurant, along with her own book on slimmed-down Latin American favorites. She’s spreading the word about her Million Dollar Marinade, which she calls “cooking for dummies in a bottle.” There’s even talk of a spinoff show.

So what does this chef think about when she’s not busy co-hosting The View or writing new books? TLK caught up with Quincoces while on a break from a photo shoot to find out.

Here, Quincoces talks about what she craves, her secret to a great dinner party, and what she’ll never try again…
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Dish you crave from your mom or abuela:

Almost all! Her arroz con pollo. Almost all the Cuban desserts. My mom’s a great cook.

Secret ingredient to make a dish pop:

Salt and sugar.

Favorite Latin restaurant in the world:

Versailles. What else am I going to say? It really is true though.

Favorite city to eat:  

San Sebastián, Spain

Secret to a perfect dinner party:

The right guests. And also, it being very casual. Having everybody help out in the kitchen.

Biggest food indulgence:

I have an insatiable sweet tooth. Like scary. Anything that has a cream cheese frosting.

Ideal breakfast, lunch, and dinner:  

During the week, breakfast is coffee and Greek yogurt with blueberries and a little granola. I love brunch. On the weekends we’ll eat any kind of Benedict, or the ever-popular chicken and waffles, or anything with grits. I’m really kind of a southern Cuban in disguise.

Lunch, I don’t really sit down. I end up having cheese and nuts. Any kind of salad that had nuts and fruits is good—I love the combination of sweet and savory.

Dinner’s tricky because I’m just as happy with a really good pizza. I love steak frites. I’m really into fish and quinoa now.

Favorite cocktail:

Tequila and tonic.

Favorite kitchen gadget:

Tongs and wooden spoon.

Perfect song to cook to:

Dean Martin’s That’s Amore. Any kind of opera.

Most adventurous food you’v eaten:

I had zebra. But I didn’t enjoy it. I also had kangaroo carpaccio. It was fine. But why?