May Cooking Hacks with Micah Fredman
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May Cooking Hacks with Micah Fredman

Chef Micah Fredman hails from some of NYC's best kitchens (Gramercy Tavern and Eleven Madison Park!) and is leading the charge in revolutionizing frozen food as the founder of ipsa provisions. This month, he's shared his tips for eating well made easy.

by Micah Fredman | @eatipsa

May Cooking Hacks

Garnish like a chef

At ipsa, we make frozen dishes that no one would ever know come out of the freezer. If I'm serving up our Ragu Bolognese, I make it feel home-cooked by showering it with freshly-chopped parsley, grating on the best parm I can find, chili flakes, and some Drizzle.

Grocery shop like a pro

AI love to pick up foods from international grocers and add my own touches. My go-to are the mezze made daily from a local Syrian bakery in Brooklyn (Shoutout to Damascus on Atlantic Ave!). After plating onto snazzy plateware, I'll drizzle the mezze with Drizzle and sprinkle with za'atar and fresh mint. Serve with pita warmed up in the oven for the most crowd-pleasing spread.

Top like a pizzaiolo

There are so many awesome frozen pizzas on the market, including our own small-batch pizzas. Whether I'm ordering from my local pizzeria or heating a frozen pie in the oven, I make an impression on guests by snipping up a large bushel of basil with kitchen shears after placing it on the table. I'll then set out cured meats, leafy greens, and great olive oil for a build-your-own-slice spread.

Find your favorite loaf

Whenever I entertain, there is always bread in one form or another for the table. I have my favorite bakeries throughout New York City, and I encourage everyone to investigate where their nearest great loaf is—the bread at Winner and Rolo's are at the top of my list lately. Fresh bread doesn't really require toasting, but I like to warm a nice load for 5-7 minutes at 350 and serve with a delicious olive oil.  

End on a sweet note

Do not stress about dessert. The simplest things will delight your guests, and satisfy that craving for just a little something sweet at the end of a meal—ripe, in-season fruit; your favorite artisan chocolate bar broken up into big pieces; or the best vanilla ice cream you can find topped with some Drizzle!

Don't do it all

Lastly, I'm here to remind you—you don't have to do it all yourself! With such busy days, I rely on the frozen mains from ipsa A LOT lately when I'm serving dinner. It allows me plenty of time to focus on salads and other veggie sides that are often an overlooked part of the meal. I buy the best greenmarket produce I can find and treat it simply and beautifully!