Wood-Fired Up Trabocco | Alameda, Calif.

“When anybody gets the wood-fired salmon here, they always say it is the best salmon they’ve ever had,” says Giuseppe Naccarelli, Trabocco Kitchen and Cocktails’ Chef/Owner. “Yes, it’s seasoned well and it’s a great product, but at the end of the day, its wood-fired profile is what gives a really different flavor.” Chefs everywhere are tapping into the flavor of fire, extolling its many virtues. Interestingly, Naccarelli chooses almond wood for his oven. “It’s less smoky, lighter, and allows the flavor of the dish to really come out,” he says. “It’s night-and-day difference in the flavor from a wood-fired oven compared to that from a regular oven.”