WARREN - Firefighters were given a delicious treat Thursday afternoon when an Italian chef dropped in at the main fire station to cook genuine deep-dish lasagna.
Daimer Cescon, who plans to open a restaurant in Trumbull County in December, volunteered to cook a meal on Monday for firefighters, but a fire call sent them running from the station before they were able to eat.
So Cescon returned on Thursday to fulfill his promise to cook for them.
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Chef Daimer Cescon of Venice, Italy, serves lasagna to Lt. Mark Thigpen Thursday afternoon at the downtown Warren fire station. Cescon plans to open a restaurant locally in December.
Firefighter Adam Lovell, one of the department's regular cooks, called Cescon's preparation method amazing.
"He makes everything fresh," Lovell said. "Even the way he chops the vegetables is very professional."
Lovell said that the few hours he spent watching Cescon will help his own cooking.
"I'll be able to imitate, but I will not be able to duplicate," Lovell said.
Fire Capt. Thomas Walker agreed that the meal was not like anything that was served in the fire station before.
"It was very good," Walker said.
Cescon said, "I met some firefighters through my friend, Armond Nannicola. I became friends with the firefighters.
''I enjoy cooking for these people because they have hard jobs and they are very good persons."
Cescon said he is moving here to try his hand at opening a restaurant in the United States.
"About six years ago, I met an American friend while in Italy," Cescon said. "My friend's cousin is a wine maker and came to Italy to get some wine. We met and he suggested I should come to the U.S. and we would open a restaurant together."
Many years later, the two are realizing that dream.
Cescon is not revealing the location of the restaurant yet, but says that will be revealed in the next several weeks.
Fluent in multiple languages, Cescon said he has worked in restaurants in Italy, France, Spain, Belgium and Japan.
Cescon worked in three-star Michelin restaurant Le Calandre, which is just outside of Venice, Italy, for two years.
The Michelin Guide began in 1933, award one to three stars to rank food. One star indicates ''very good cuisine in its category,'' two-star represents "excellent cuisine, worth a detour,'' and three stars represents ''exceptional cuisine, worth a special journey.''
Only 10 restaurants in the United States carry the Michelin three-star rating.
"This will be a different concept restaurant," Cescon said. Cescon said many of his chef friends from Italy will visit and share their recipes.
He also makes food sculptures with ice, chocolate and butter.