Pedigree: Cascone studied at the School of Culinary Arts in Atlanta before working both the front and back of house at restaurants there, including Bacchanalia and Floataway Café with Anne Quatrano. In New York Cascone worked at the now-defunct V in Columbus Circle (another Jean-Georges Vongerichten alumnus!) and various other restos in the JGV group.
Life loves: Cascone’s boyfriend Brad is a managing partner at the restaurant. Despite the lovey-dovey picture, on Cascone’s MySpace page she lists herself as “single”. (Maybe she’s one of those not-until-there’s-a-ring-on-this-finger kinds of girl. Respect.) Cascone’s other great love is for Italian Greyhounds. She brought home a brand new greyhound puppy in February this year—the third one she has owned. But her mom Sharon Tuckman-Skovera says Cascone loves all animals.
The dish: This isn’t Cascone’s first brush with reality TV. In 2002 she appeared on “Dog Days,” an Animal Planet TV series about dog lovers and their pets. “She was disappointed at how it came out,” says mom. “She thought it would be more about the animals. They took a lot of tape and lots of cute stuff and none of it came up on the show.” So, once bitten, is she worried about how she’ll be portrayed on TC4? “Well, she knows that they edit it for the drama.”
The buzz: If you’ve got it, flaunt it. Signs on Cascone’s restaurant window and Web site already state: “We are proud to announce our Chef Nikki Cascone will be participating in Season 4 of Top Chef Chicago. March 12, 2008 on Bravo”
The verdict: According to Tuckman-Skovera, Cascone’s a true all-arounder. “I don’t think there’s anything she hasn’t done,” reports the proud mom. “She’s opened up a restaurant for people, done restaurant consulting, she knows book keeping and accounting and how to cut prices and everything.” She’s also a certified sommelier.
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