Meet the Chefs’ Collective: Nick Anderer of Marta in New York

While studying art history at Columbia University, Nick Anderer spent a year abroad in Rome. But a funny thing happened: he found himself inspired not just by the city’s museums and people, but also by the country’s food culture as well. He eventually worked under well-known chefs like Mario Batali and Larry Forgione, later returning to Italy for a year to learn more about the cuisine and traditions of the country that first inspired him. He headed back to the States to reinvigorate the pasta program at New York’s Gramercy Tavern, where he worked under both Tom Colicchio and Michael Anthony.

In 2009, Anderer opened Maialino, a Roman-style trattoria that was named one of the best new restaurants by Esquire and Time Out New York. In 2014, he opened Marta, an Italian pizzeria-inspired restaurant for which he received a James Beard Award nomination.

We asked the chef to put pen to paper, and to share his thoughts on everything from the evolution of fine dining to the changing restaurant economy.

Get to know all of the members of the Williams-Sonoma Chefs’ Collective, and see their latest travels, eats, and other inspirations on Instagram under the hashtag #wschefs.