Nico Villasenor

Lower East Side, Manhattan

Nico Villasenor has been around the NY restaurant scene block, figuratively and literally. After a long stint at Four Horsemen and Places Des Fêtes, Villasenor landed at Fradei, a French Bistro tucked away on Portland Ave in Downtown Brooklyn. With complete control of the menu, Villasenor has made it his own, creating a seasonal menu that reflects the region’s harvest. Right now? We’re lookin’ at a lot of fresh seafood and citrus (the crowd goes wild.) Villasenor is also a self-proclaimed dessert perfectionist, and it shows. DO NOT miss the Panna Cotta. Our lives are truly changed.

Full name, age, where are you from?

Nico Villasenor, 27, I’m from the Bay Area, CA.

What is your title and where do you work?  

I’m the head chef at Fradei Bistro in Fort Greene.

What inspired you to work in the food industry?

I think what inspired me to work in the industry was that I enjoyed cooking so much from a young age. I didn’t really consider it to be a career choice until I was around 18 when I realized that cooking was a passion and that I could make a living doing what I loved.

What is your biggest customer pet peeve?

My biggest customer pet peeve is probably when a guest is rude to the staff.

What is your most blissful food moment?

My most blissful food moment might have to be when I’m home cooking some dishes inspired by my grandma’s cooking. I don’t have any physical recipes from her cooking but I was around her a lot as a child.

What dish do you want to perfect in the kitchen?
A dish I would love to perfect in the kitchen would probably have to be some sort of dessert. I find handmade puff pastry pretty difficult yet highly rewarding when it comes out well. So maybe something to do with that in general.

If you could shout out a colleague or friend in the industry who would it be and why?

The friend I’d like to shout out is Sunny Lee!  She’s a super-talented chef and I’ve probably been to Achilles heel a dozen times since she’s taken over in the last 6 months. I always find myself always craving her food.

What is the best food city?

Personally, I don’t have a favorite food city but maybe it’s because I need to travel more. I think every city has a specific cuisine they might be better at. But there are so many countries & cities I would love to travel to.

How do you relax outside of work?

My favorite way to relax outside of work is by spending time with my partner or friends over a meal and enjoying the time with them.

What is your astrology sign (including moon and rising)?
My astrology sign is Aries, my rising sign is Gemini and my moon is Leo.