What were your favorite foods growing up?

I think I loved it all but some of my favorite dishes were: Chicken Paprikash with Dumplings, my mother's pork fried noodles, broiled lamb chops, steamed lobster, etc..

When did you decide you wanted to be a chef?

The summer after my junior year in college. I went to cooking school in Paris and was hooked.

Where and when did your career in food begin?

Bouley 1988. I started during the record long heat wave of that summer.

If you didn't become a chef, what would you be?

A travel writer

Who/what has shaped your cooking the most over the years?

I've had many influences from different chefs under whom I've trained, as well as from cookbooks, travel and dining out…

How would you describe your cuisine?

New American with Indian influences? New American. I bring in influences from all over.

What are your favorite culinary weapons in the kitchen?

Don't have one; I'm not much of a tool head and my restaurant is so small that the space doesn't afford much equipment.

What is your favorite secret ingredient?

I'm a passionate omnivore

What is the one rule or value you try to instill in all of your staff?

Taste everything. You must love to eat to be good at this.

What qualities to you look for when hiring cooks for your restaurant?

Passion for all kinds of food, team oriented, and a desire to work specifically here.

If I'm trying to watch my weight and I'm eating at your restaurant, what am I ordering to eat?

There are plenty of choices: Miso marinated sable with crispy silken tofu in bonito broth…

What was the most challenging meal you had to make? Why?

James Beard, circa 1996. I was over extended that week and exhausted. I wasn't happy at all with what we made.

What was your worst restaurant disaster?

That's hard to say.

What is your least favorite food?

Raw, green bell peppers

What is your beverage of choice?

I like a lot of things.

What are some recent dining and culinary trends you have been observing?

Eggs are everywhere

When you are not eating at your own restaurant, where are you eating?

Anywhere new and noteworthy from a culinary perspective

Which foreign country inspires your style most?

Hard to say. Maybe Japan right now, but it changes often

What was the most spectacular meal you have ever had?

Omakase in a sushi bar in Singapore

What is your best cooking tip for a home enthusiast?

Taste everything and adjust it to how you like it

What do you eat when you are home?

Simple things. If I'm cooking, lately I've had an Italian bent…