TAOS, NEW MEXICO, USA -- How does one define Carlo Gislimberti?

Taos locals and visitors alike know him as a world acclaimed Italian chef who has, surprisingly, settled in the small, albeit hip, southwestern haven. But Gislimberti is also a fine art painter, successful restaurateur, mycophogist, teacher, Cavaliere (the Italian equivalent of Knight) and (most recently) nude calendar model!

But perhaps it's not so surprising after all. Chef Carlo Gislimberti considers his cooking art, and thinks his somewhat recent creative ventures into fine art painting have a tremendous amount in common with his endeavors in the kitchen.

While the chef admits that painting helps him relieve the stress of hectic restaurant life, especially since recovering from cardiac bypass surgery, he approaches art like cooking.

"Before I begin a painting I prepare everything, much like mise en place in cooking. Once I begin I have to continue until I finish, I can't stop until it's completed," says Carlo.

His latest obsession, as evidenced by the numerous artworks adorning Villa Fontana's walls, involves painting with wine corks instead of the more traditional brushes, which gives his colorful and vivid oil paintings a distinctly impressionistic style.

But there's a reason Taos regulars know Gislimberti primarily for his kitchen prowess. His Villa Fontana restaurant manages to mix old world European elegance with a comfortable homey hospitality. From the outside, Villa Fontana looks any number of other southwestern pueblo style houses that dot the landscape around this part of the world. Inside, it's easy to forget you're actually in New Mexico and not somewhere in Carlo's native northern Italy.

Inside diners feel as at home, as if they were guests in the actual home of Carlo Gislimberti and his wife/business partner Siobhan. And in fact, they are. Villa Fontana is housed in a former residence and it's proprietors still live in on premises in an upstairs apartment -- trés European.

The restaurant's walls are splashed with the color of Carlo's paintings -- many depicting his interpretation of the breathtaking landscapes surrounding his adopted home of Taos, while others reflect his love of food. The rooms are cozy yet continental; elegant without pretentiousness; and best of all, filled with hunger inducing aromas wafting from Chef Carlo's kitchen.

Carlo and Siobhan can frequently be spotted flitting around the dining room, greeting and genially interacting with regular customers, along with newcomers experiencing the delight of discovering -- for the first time -- this Italian culinary treasure in the heart of the New Mexico dessert.

Behind every great chef there seems to be a powerful woman, and Siobhan is that woman for Carlo. She's strong, welcoming, nurturing, business-like, and most of all genuine, all at once. Siobhan's presence is a huge part of why this restaurant works. Like so many other great culinary teams (think Wolfgang Puck, Joachim Splichal or Jacques Torres), Carlo and Siobhan appear the perfect yin and yang of creativity and practicality.

A Passion for Fungi
One epicurean infatuation that rises above all others for Carlo Gislimberti is his love of wild mushrooms. He first learned to appreciate fungi as a child growing up in the Dolomite Mountains of Northern Italy and continued his education in mushrooms while studying at the Culinary Academy in Italy. He first came to the United States in 1978, where he put in 4 years in Fort Worth Texas, then hopped from country club to country club (Colonial, Shady Oaks, Ridgely) before moving to Taos in 1984. He was offered a partnership in Red River New Mexico's Ristorante Il Porccino in 1991.

Business opportunities may have first brought Carlo Gislimberti to the Southwest, but it was the abundance of wild mushrooms growing in the nearby mountains that enticed him to stay.

According to Carlo, "Mushrooms cross all lines of ethnicity. Almost very culture uses them in their cuisines."

Depending on the time of year, Gislimberti can be found foraging in the woods surrounding Taos for Porcini, Chanterelles, Mohrefles, Shaggy Manes and other mycological treasures. The skills he started learning as a child in his native Italy still serve him well in his new home. He initiated a state certification program in New Mexico for those qualified to identify edible mushrooms. So far he is the only trained chef to qualify.

That's good news for patrons of Villa Fontana who can feast on a host of menu offerings made with the fruits of Carlo's foraging labors. Try the Crema di Fungi di Bosco (Cream of Wild Mushroom Soups) -- a house specialty; Porcini di Bosco alla Milanese (wild porcini mushrooms breaded and lightly sautéed -- click for our cooking tutorial with Chef Gislimberti to make it at home); Ravioli di Fungi al Gorgonzola (mushroom ravioli served with gorgonzola sauce); or Risotto con Porcini Calleverde (arborio risotto with porcini, radicchio and salami).

According to Carlo, technique is everything when freezing mushrooms. It's obvious he knows what he's talking about. Even though mushrooms we ate during our dinner at Villa Fontana had been previously either dried or frozen, you'd never know it by tasting the final dishes. (Click here for Chef Carlo's tips on freezing mushrooms.)

Carlo and his restaurant have won countless awards and accolades -- including recognition by the Distinguished Restaurants of North America (DiRoNa) and being named by prestigious Italian guidebook author Luigi Veronelli as one the top ten Italian chefs in the United States. In 1999 in Rome, for his service to the culture and cuisine of Italy, Italian president Oscar Luigi Scalforo knighted Chef Carlo Cavaliere.

At Villa Fontana, Gislimberti meticulously prepares classic Northern Italian dishes with a playful southwest flare. For instance -- Parma Prosciutto and fresh melon are formed into a Tee Pee for a distinctively Taos take on a traditional favorite. He's also aware of the tastes of his audience. In Italy he admits that he would normally serve porcini mushrooms grilled plain. The American palate, however, demands breading and a marinara type dipping sauce.

Cooking School
These days Chef Carlo is enjoying passing along his encyclopedic knowledge of Italian cuisine to students at his Cooking School , as much as he enjoys cooking dinner at his acclaimed restaurant. Each June through September, the maestro shares culinary secrets, gleaned during a lifetime of cooking, at Villa Fontana's cooking school. The restaurant is equipped with a state of the art -- yet still charming -- outdoor kitchen to accommodate students (no more than 12 per class).

Carlo prides himself on the ability to be flexible and majority rules in his cooking classes. He'll discuss interest and passions with the students and present recipes and subjects that interest the group as a whole. If they want to learn to make pasta, that's what they'll do, if everyone wants make ahead recipes for entertaining, the master is happy to accommodate. By special arrangement, Carlo will even come to students' homes to conduct group classes in Italian cooking.

If all these activities weren't enough for the busy Taos chef, Carlo Gislimberti crossed another milestone in 2004 when he became a nude model. Twelve of Taos' top chefs posed (tastefully) naked for a calendar whose sales benefited the Taos School of Cooking. If you're lucky enough to get your hands on a copy of this hilarious cooking collectible, you can see Carlo as Mr. December, posing with largest bottle of Champagne you've ever seen. A signature recipe (Chef Carlo contributed his instructions for Osso Bucco alla Milanese or braised veal shanks) accompanies each chef photo in the calendar.

If you can't find the calendar, don't worry, a visit to Villa Fonatana is still in order -- Chef Carlo is still mighty impressive with his clothes on, whether he's in the kitchen or behind an easel.

Click for Chef Carlo's recipe, along with step-by-step photo instructions, for one of Villa Fontana's signature appetizers -- Melon and Prosciutto Teepees with Sautéed Wild Mushrooms.

Visiting Villa Fontana
Villa Fontana is located on Highway 522 about 5 miles north of Taos. The restaurant is open for dinner 6 days a week -- Monday through Saturday. For more information or reservations call 505-758-5800 or visit www.villafontanataos.com.

For more information about travel in and around Taos, visit www.exploretaos.com.