About Alejandro Cantagallo

Growing up in Queens, the son of immigrants, Alejandro had an early start in the food world helping his father out in the family's butcher's shop. Throughout his twenties he worked his way through the front of the house at a number of north shore country clubs and later shifted gears and started culinary school at CUNY CityTech. In 2010 Alejandro opened Floresta and despite acclaim closed a year later. Currently, he is a senior college lab technician in the purchasing and operations arm of the Hospitality Management Department at CUNY New York City College of Technology and is also an adjunct professor in the same department. Alejandro's current instructional workload includes Culinary 1 and Introduction to Food and Beverage Management.

Raising Oysters

It takes four years to raise an oyster; when from when it’s “as big as a peppercorn,” in the words of oyster farmer Joël Dupuch, to when it’s fully grown and ready to eat. In this beautifully-shot video, presented by Nowness and shot by Panthalassa, Dupuch discusses the uncommon uniqueness of the oyster, and what it means to spend your life raising them.

http://bcove.me/pwxxc9l9