Smells of Mediterranean cooking were in the air as Chef Constantine Rampias cooked up a variety of paninis at Kelly Dining last Wednesday.

‘Call me Gus,’ requested Rampias, whose first step was to introduce himself to everyone at the presentation as well as learn the names and majors of everyone who attended the event. ‘Cooking is my passion. I love it!’

Rampias was born in Greece, where he has been cooking since the age of 17. His mother owned her own restaurant in Greece, which is where he developed his love of cooking. The experienced chef is certified in restaurant management, has studied in both Greece and Switzerland, and specializes in Mediterranean cuisine. Along with the presentation on paninis at Stony Brook on October 9, Rampias is also preparing a new Mediterranean menu for End of the Bridge, the restaurant located in the Student Union.

During his demonstration, Rampias offered a historical background of the specialty dish. Paninis are sandwiches, which originated from Italy. They are made using fresh dough loaded with different fillings and baked on a panini grill.

Common fillings include white asparagus, black olives, zucchini, yams, eggplant, hot peppers, chicken, Italian sausage, salami, procuitto, and the list just goes on and on with Dijon mustard, and olive oil to top it off.

Rampias, who believes in healthy cooking, used no butter in the making of his paninis. He stressed the importance of marinating chicken, and staying away from overcooked or undercooked meat.

‘If you overcook the chicken, it will come out dry,’ Rampias said. ‘It is important to slice the chicken after cooking it. If there is any pink, it is undercooked.’

Also discussed during the presentation was the priority of tomatoes in cooking paninis.

‘Tomatoes are the most important part of the sandwich,’ said Rampias, who said he picks only the freshest tomatoes for his dishes. He prefers to cut them into thin slices, and recommends the brand Divine Ripe as one of the best to use.

‘Spices make the food,’ explained Rampias, as he sprinkled a mixture of olive oil, oregano, pepper, garlic, and garlic powder on top of the breads.

He used frescata, a multi-grain ciabatta, and Portuguese breads. He suggests that the grill be preheated for a few minutes before placing the sandwiches on it. The sandwiches should cook for about five minutes. Those who attended the demonstration received two paninis. In some cases, they got three.

‘Everybody has to be full,’ said Rampias. ‘No one leaves my kitchen hungry.’

‘The expertise and sheer passion of our executive Chef Gus was unparalleled,’ said senior Nandy Mubasher. ‘The paninis were outstanding and the tips I learned – I can’t measure their value.’

‘This class was so informative,’ raved junior Jennifer Angley. ‘It showed me that cooking can be fun as well as tasty!’

The panini demonstration is just one of many different kinds of events offered at Kelly Dining. The program, known as ‘Executive Chef’s Kitchen,’ offers free demonstrations Monday through Thursday night on anything from cake decorating to Thai cuisine. The most alluring quality of the programs is that the participants get to sample everything. The interactive cooking demonstrations feature a new chef each night. They teach healthy lifestyle recipes and introduce vegan and vegetarian cooking techniques as well. The samplings include dishes from around the world and some novel creations never tasted before.

Times and locations of the events can be found on the Stony Brook Web site under ‘Campus Dining.’ Movie files of experienced chefs teaching knife and peeling skills can now be found there. Other events this month include Mediterranean salads, Thai cuisine, and pumpkin treats, just in time for Halloween.

Recipes of the Paninis created during the 10/9/06 demonstration:

Europa- Fresh sliced turkey breast, swiss cheese, tomato w/ a spinach and artichoke spread.

Capri- Genoa Salami, ham cappicola, pepperoni, mozzarella, tomato & onion in rosemary Dijon vinaigrette.

Fresco- Grilled portabello mushroom, fresh mozzarella, and roasted peppers in a pesto aioli sauce.

Florentine- Grilled chicken, provolone, and tomato in a dijonaise sauce.