Chef Cotta at work. Photos by Ashley Cordes.
El Salvador native Walter Cotta does a double duty as executive chef at both L’Opera Ristorante and Alegria Cocina Latina, located next to each other in the heart of Downtown Long Beach. With L’Opera serving up northern Italian cuisine and Alegria featuring a more niche Latin American menu, the two restaurants are based on very different concepts.
Twenty-five years ago Cotto decided to take a one-year break from studying physics and math in El Salvador and ended up staying indefinitely to pursue a career in the culinary industry. In the process of working his way up from a dishwasher to executive chef Cotta has worked at a number of restaurants in Southern California including Spice in Hollywood, La Loggia in Studio City and Sostanza in Santa Monica.
Cotta was tapped in 1993 by restaurateurs Enzo DeMuro and Terry Antonelli to work at L’Opera. When DeMuro and Antonelli opened Alegria in 1994, Cotta was hired to create a tapas menu that eventually came to include entrees. In 2001, Cotta stepped in as Executive Chef for L’Opera thus starting his career working with two distinct flavor spectrums at one time.
Before the interview, the busy chef was presenting samples of homemade pastas to co-owner DeMuro and deciding whether to use tomatoes from Naples, Italy or the L.A. farmers market in a new dish. Before the dinner rush, Cotto took the time to speak with the Post about his interesting entrance into the industry, what it’s like running both Latin and Italian restaurants, and his creative process.
What is it like working at two restaurants at once?
They are such different cuisines. One is Italian and one is Latin so I really have to switch my brain and how it works in terms of flavors. Latin is more intense and spicy and Italian is more mellow. I love Latin and having the Latin flare but Italian is expression. It’s fun. I’m in both restaurants each day.
Does it ever get stressful having that kind of responsibility?
Sometimes, especially on a busy night. I spend two-thirds of my time over here [L’Opera] and one-third of my time at Alegria, but I have my sous chefs. You have to trust them, train them, and trust them more little by little. I started working in the kitchen with different jobs so you have to see the potential in someone and see who is a leader.
How did you step into the culinary world?
Actually, when I was in El Salvador I was a bus driver and mechanic. When I came over here I started as a dishwasher in a place called Spice in Hollywood. When I saw the chef sautéing, the flaming, waiters interacting with the chef, I liked the ambiance of that and how the whole kitchen works. I said, “This is me” and I started reading about cooking, American, Latin, Italian and French cooking.
Did your upbringing in El Salvador have a cultural influence on your cooking at Alegria?
[In El Salvador] I didn’t cook. All I knew how to do was boil eggs. I learned from working in the kitchen and reading cookbooks. When you love something you want to create your own style. Every chef has a different style. I like intense flavors and colors on the plate.
After learning to cook in the Los Angeles Area why did you decide to take a job in Long Beach?
At first it was a drop in my salary, but I saw the opportunity to grow right here. Over there I was at a small restaurant and here I have more responsibility.
You had a lot of influence on the menus at both restaurants. How did your personal style as a chef play into them?
All the flavors they’re in my head. My crew laughs at me when I’m creating something. When I’m creating a new dish I put an empty plate in front of me and I just see it and stare for five minutes. Then like that, I see what I want. I see the colors and how I’ll plate it. I taste it in my head before I make it.
How important are fresh ingredients to the creation of dishes?
I go to the L.A. farmers market once a week for both restaurants. When the market declined we had to work with a budget. One day I went over there and I liked it. I buy fresh. I see what fish are swimming. I buy new vegetables and add them to my specials.
From budgeting to creating dishes it seems like you have to wear a lot of hats. After a long day of work what is your go to comfort food?
When I get home I have my cereals. I like sweet Cheerios and Lucky Charms. My boys are ages 16 and 20 and love it that they have the whole market. They have around ten or twelve boxes of cereal.
What is your life like outside of food?
Outside of food I’m a home guy. I stay at home. I run a lot, five to six miles a day at the riverbed. I also play soccer on a league. It’s a team I created for the restaurants. Most of the guys who play on the team work over here. I’ve played since I was nine-years-old… It takes away all the stress of the week.
One last question: What is your personal culinary philosophy?
Enjoy what you do. To cook I think you have to be you. I love what I do. Cooking, it’s my life. You have to have the heart to do it because it’s a lot of work, a lot of hours but if you love it then you’re happy.
L’Opera is located at 101 Pine Ave.; Alegria is located at 115 Pine Ave. Learn more at facebook.com/alegrialb and lopera.com
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