Star Kitchen: Michael Scelfo
Chef Michael Scelfo shows Food Network Magazine his hardworking home kitchen.
Even after a long day at one of his Cambridge, MA, restaurants, chef Michael Scelfo can’t wait to come home — and get back to work. "I find a lot of peace and relaxation in cooking for family," says the chef, who owns three spots — Alden & Harlow, Waypoint and The Longfellow Bar — in the city’s busy Harvard Square neighborhood. He and his wife Ellen and their teenage kids, Josh, Mae and Andrew, moved into this house about three years ago and immediately modernized the ’70s kitchen. Michael worked with the appliance brand Fisher & Paykel to install a combination propane-and-induction stovetop and double convection ovens. Then he surrounded the stainless-steel appliances with dark green cabinets and a mix of countertops: marble, which came in handy for Ellen’s quarantine sourdough, and butcher block, where Michael preps most meals. "I designed my home kitchen the way I would design a restaurant kitchen," he says. "It has a look and feel that 10 years from now will still be right on point."
Look Up!: The couple installed a brass rod to match their faucet and pendant light. They use it for hanging dried herbs.
Matte Marble: The couple chose marble countertops with a matte finish. It shows wear and tear, but they don’t mind: "We wanted to get a little red wine stain
or a coffee cup ring," he says. "To us, that’s character and charm."
Prized Mixer: Michael has had this green KitchenAid stand mixer since he graduated from Western Culinary Institute in the early ’90s, and he still uses it all the time. "It runs like a champ," he says.
Cooper Cookware: Michael and Ellen found some copper pots at a market in Paris 22 years ago when they were on their honeymoon. "They weigh 30 pounds each," he says. "We were dragging around suitcases full of copper contraband."
Double Stove: Michael worked with Fisher & Paykel to get his ideal stove setup: He has induction and gas cooktops, a convection oven and a smart convection oven with an LCD screen that syncs up with his phone for easy temperature checks.
Credits:
All text written by Erica Finamore for Food Network Magazine.
Photograph by Matthew Delphenich.
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