Photo: Courtesy of Guitar Aficionado
So much negativity today! JoeDoe trashing JoeLeo, some college kid trashing Colicchio, Ryan Skeen quarreling with his GM, and on it goes! Before this day is over, can we just have one feel-good story that doesn’t involve Jamie Oliver telling us how fat we are? Yes, we can. And it comes to us care of Guitar Aficionado (the fine publication that showed you Colicchio’s axes). Ladies and gentlemen, here’s Rocco DiSpirito stroking his wood. He bought the Stratocaster because it reminded him of Springsteen’s, and don’t you know it, he has a good story about cooking for the Boss.
Several years ago, DiSpirito’s attendance at a New York-area Springsteen concert led serendipitously to a reversal of the roles of performer and spectator and the cooking gig of a lifetime. A friend of Rocco’s, who also serves as the musician’s personal chef, asked if he’d help put together the post-show meal. DiSpirito jumped at the opportunity and later that evening found himself ensconced in the kitchen of Spring-steen’s New Jersey home, the Boss sitting and observing nearby.
DiSpirito laughs, recalling a scene that was far from his finest cooking moment. “When I’m nervous, I usually do one of two things: spill something or cut my fin-ger open. That night, I did both. I remember Bruce coming over to my side of the kitchen and watching me mop up chicken stock that I spilled all over his floor. It was ridiculous. But,” he adds, “Bruce couldn’t have been more appreciative. And he’s really interested in food. He likes big flavor, and he’s very into healthy cooking, which I love.”
