Whitefish salad is the way my wife and I celebrate both of our family’s cultures. She is Jewish—we got engaged over a pastrami sandwich at the Second Avenue Deli—and our children are being raised Jewish. I’m Italian, and we eat salt cod, or baccalà, salad, which is close enough.

And come to think of it: When we go to a friend’s house for Yom Kippur breakfast, whitefish salad is the one thing I know will be there, but it’s always the last to go! It’s the red-headed stepchild of lox. But the truth is, I actually prefer it.

Tom Colicchio is the head judge on Top Chef and chef/owner of Crafted Hospitality.