American Idol Alum Finds Her Groove In the Kitchen During Quarantine

It’s the dream of so many aspiring singers; standing on a stage in front of thousands, microphone in hand, heart pumping, lungs filling to capacity as they let their craft and passion take over for all the world to see. And yet, for most that’s simply a pipedream never destined to come true. Unless you’re New Jersey native, Elise Testone, who went from singing preschool solos to becoming a contestant on American Idol season 11. 

Spoiler: out of 150,000+ performers, Testone made it through auditions with shining colors. And while she ended up falling short of becoming that season’s American Idol, she left with grace, dignity, and a whole lotta fans in 6th place.

But let’s back up a little bit. Growing up in Kinnelon, NJ, Elise found her passion for music from a young age. While her first memory of singing comes at the age of 3 in preschool, she began attracting attention in first grade, during a notable “Rooster Solo”—which yes, can be found on YouTube to ‘ooh and ahh’ at. Her father collected and repaired jukeboxes, exposing her to some of the classics from the 60s, 70s, and 80s early on. As she got older, Elise learned that she wasn’t the only one who boasted musical talents in her family; on her mother’s side, there were well-known musicians throughout Sicily.

An artsy, creative, and self-proclaimed “socially-awkward” kid growing up, Elise found comfort in music. “It has always been an outlet to express myself and communicate with people. Music is my safe place to be myself and let go.” As she got older, Elise found herself taking trips to the South to visit friends, eventually attending Coastal Carolina University just outside of Myrtle Beach from 2001-05.

It was while she was living and working as a vocal coach in Charleston in 2012, however, that American Idol rolled into town. Prior to being asked to audition—yes, she was approached by them to audition—Testone was busting out upwards of 12 gigs a week. It’s at this time again, that Elise turned to music as her safe space to deal with the stress and pressure of her American Idol experience.

Another creative outlet that has helped her find comfort in changing times? Cooking.

“It’s so funny you reached out to me this year for this because I’ve really started to have fun—and even impress myself—in the kitchen since I’ve been stuck at home,” Testone says. To save money during the shut downs—and lack of gigs available as a result—she challenged herself to get creative. She doesn’t use recipes or write down her own winning dishes. Instead she listens to her intuition and balances flavors simply through taste, like adding a little bit of lemon to balance out salt.

Similar to music, it seems as though natural culinary skills run deep in her blood, as she shares fond memories of holidays with her family, “we’re Italian, so food is everything to us. Whether it was a holiday or just our nightly family dinner, sitting down around the table meant lots of conversation, questions about our day, and making memories. We often did Seven Fishes on Christmas Eve—calamari, clams, shrimp, fish, the works—or a traditional Easter dish, called pizzagaina.” Pizzagaina (or pizza rustica OR pizza gain depending on who you’re talking to) is essentially a baked pie of cheese and various Italian charcuterie meats—think genoa salami, mortadella, capicola, pepperoni, ham, prosciutto and more—held together with eggs and covered in dough. Apparently, it’s delicious.

As for what she’s cooking up in the kitchen right now, Elise says of all things she’s really big into reinventing mashed potatoes. “I like putting different twists on the traditional mash. I usually pair it with Salmon and sauteed greens.”

When she’s not finding harmony in the kitchen, Elise frequents her favorite Italian eatery in Brooklyn for a broccoli rabe dish with crispy shallots and garlic. And she hasn’t lost her love for the Lowcountry, either. When back in town Elise always makes sure to fill up on some of her favorite dishes from Wild Olive, Sunrise Bistro—which she claims the seafood crepe or breakfast pizza are a must—and Coleman Public House for a trip down memory lane and a cold beer.

Whether she’s writing new songs or whipping something up in the kitchen from scratch, Elise Testone doesn’t follow the average beat. She’s feisty, fun, and full of soul—and it shows in every tune you hear… or flavor you taste.