Fresh Today

"This dish is fantastic! From my heart to your kitchen," Nick Stellino romances the television camera in a Channel 9 studio as he nears the end of taping another segment in his new PBS series, "Cucina Amore." The locally produced cooking show is the result of the host's perseverance. He lives by the advice of an uncle who was dying of cancer: "Follow your dreams."

Stellino, 36, began cooking at his mother's side in Palermo, Italy. He came to the United States as a high school foreign-exchange student, and graduated from Arizona State University, where he used his cooking skills to impress coeds. Careers selling classified ads, working as an insurance analyst and as a Merrill Lynch stockbroker failed to satisfy. "I longed for the freedom and sweet smell of the kitchen," he recalls. Starting as a dishwasher in a Los Angeles restaurant, within a month he was head chef, after persuading the owner to change the menu from French to Italian cuisine.

A series of other restaurant jobs led two years ago to Stellino being "discovered" by a talent scout. He was hired to be the spokesman for Ragu Spaghetti Sauce in a national television advertising campaign. Last year he worked as pasta chef at Drago's, an award-winning Los Angeles restaurant, but he kept thinking about how much he wanted to share his enthusiasm for Italian cooking with more people - by hosting a cooking show. His hero is Jacques Pepin.

Stellino estimates logging more than 3,000 telephone calls to people in the television industry, trying to spark interest in his mission, before capturing the attention of West 175 in Seattle, the production company responsible for Graham Kerr's recent cooking shows, also taped at Channel 9 studios. Stellino finishes the first 13 programs in his 52-part series this week. He'll return here from Los Angeles in February for more tapings. "I love this area," he says. "The fresh produce is even better than what we have to work with in California."

Members of the large production staff responsible for the program noted that the host was a bit nervous during early rehearsals. They hit on a possible solution. Stellino always seems to sparkle when talking about his wife, Nanci, so they taped a "Nanci 1" sign over the lense of one camera, and "Nanci 2" over the other. It worked. By last week's taping, he seemed totally at ease, bursting occasionally into song, sharing memories of how his father used rosemary branches to brush a pesto sauce onto barbecuing lamb chops, and enthusing, while making a Grilled Mushroom Salad, about how his father used to describe their fungi finds as "the steaks of the woods." The program, with the help of a handsome set, creates the illusion of Stellino working in a small country trattoria. The introduction to each program was taped during one long late-night session at Tucci Benucch restaurant in Westlake Center.

Stellino joins Kerr and Frugal Gourmet Jeff Smith in hosting cooking programs with national and international distribution - all taped in Seattle. "Cucina Amore" debuts here at 5 p.m. Jan. 14 on Channel 9.

Word of mouth

-- The Washington First Nations Oceangoing Society and Salty's on Alki are teaming again this year in a two-part fund-raising event highlighting Northwest Native American culture. Enetai on Alki begins Saturday, with arts, crafts and photos of last year's 1,200-mile canoe journey to Bella Bella available for purchase at Salty's. Bruce Miller, chef for Skokomish ceremonial occasions, and Salty's executive chef Steve Clemens collaborated on special menu items that will be served at the restaurant Saturday through Nov. 20, including Grilled Venison with Hazelnut and Fennel Sauce.

The closing day of the celebration features a dinner, art auction and entertainment, 5:30 p.m. Nov. 20, with proceeds benefiting the Quileute Tribe's hosting of Akalat '97, a gathering of more than 50 Pacific Rim canoe nations ($50; for reservations and details, call Brendan Mahaffey, 324-6294, or Terry Halvorson, 937-1600).

Graham Kerr

-- "Graham Kerr's A Tale of Three Chickens," a PBS-funded 90-minute special produced here, airs at 6 p.m. Saturday on Channel 9. In three chicken dishes, Kerr demonstrates how to reduce fat and cholesterol without sacrificing aroma, color and texture - Braised Chicken with Bell Pepper Sauce and Polenta, Sauteed Chicken Roasted Pepper Pasta with Spinach and Breast of Chicken in a Ginger Wine Marinade with Bok Choy.

-- McMenamins Pubs and Breweries, a Portland-based microbrewery, plans to open a restaurant and pub early next year at 200 Roy Street, an apartment complex being built by the Quadrant Corp. north of Seattle Center.

-- H & H Bagels, flown here from New York City, are available in four flavors ($1.25 each, $1 if you buy three or more) at Madison Espresso in Madison Park and Island Video on Mercer Island. Why bring in outside products when so many quality bagelries exist here? "It's like having a real Seattle latte in Manhattan," says Tim Haig, manager of Madison Espresso. "I've had a few transplanted New Yorkers practically hug me when they found out we carried H & H."

-- "Onions Onions Onions: Delicious Recipes for the World's Favorite Secret Ingredient" by Linda and Fred Griffith (Chapters, $14.95) features more than 200 appetizers, soups, salads, breads, entrees and side dishes, plus tips such as this one from Hiroshi Tsuji, owner of a Japanese restaurant in Cleveland. Does he have a way to manage tears? "Yes," he says, "I get someone else to chop them."

-- Cookbooks galore - more than 1,000 titles for gift giving to friends and yourself - are available during the Great American Cookbook Show, noon to 8 p.m. today through Sunday at Columbia Winery, 14030 N.E. 145th St., Woodinville ($2.50).