What were your favorite foods growing up?
Fresh fruit from the orchard

When did you decide you wanted to be a restaurateur?
I knew as soon I started my formal training as a 13-year old apprentice for Paul Haeberlin of the acclaimed L'Auberge de L'Ill in Alsace, France.

Where and when did your career in food begin?
As a 6-year old, peeling vegetables in my aunt's restaurant kitchen

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

What are your favorite culinary weapons in the kitchen?
The stove

What is your favorite secret ingredient?
That I cannot divulge, for it is a secret.

What is the one rule or value you try to instill in all of your staff?
To strive for excellence everyday.

If I'm trying to watch my weight and I'm eating at your restaurant, what should I order to eat?
Balance your menu in moderation.

What was the most challenging meal you had to make? Why?
I once worked at an event in Brazil for 2,000 people with no kitchen. It was a unique challenge, unlike any other I've experienced, but in the end it was a great success.

What is your least favorite food?
Fast Food

What is your beverage of choice?
Wines

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

Which foreign country inspires your style most?
France

What is your best cooking tip for a home enthusiast?
Never serve something you wouldn't eat yourself and never sacrifice the quality of your food.

What do you eat when you are home?
I enjoy my wife's cooking at home.