What were your favorite foods growing up?
I love Mexican food. I grew up in Arizona, so it was everywhere; that's probably why some form of spice ends up in most of my dishes. The flavors are so huge in Mexican food. There's nothing really subtle; I loved that and cook like that still to this day.

What is your least favorite food?
I despise blue cheese.

What is your beverage of choice?
I drink massive amounts of water and coffee. My favorite alcoholic beverages are: Sol (Mexican beer) and Jagermeister. Jagermeister is underrated as a liquor; people equate it with college but the flavor is great -- it is very herbaceous with a balanced anise flavor, and the finish has that gingery kick.

What was the most spectacular meal you have ever had?
The first time I had tom kha gai (Thai coconut chicken soup). I tasted it and instantly had a revelation. I had never tasted anything like that and didn't ever imagine food could taste that different from what I was used to eating.

What do you eat when you are home?
Lots of Greek food, since I live in Astoria; Mexican when I can find it; and bacon cheeseburgers from the diner.

What is your best cooking tip for a home enthusiast?
Buy good quality ingredients. You can't have the ovens and fully stocked pantry like we do in professional kitchens; so, it's really important that you buy great ingredients and keep it simple. Nothing at Thor is complicated. Complicated food doesn't necessarily mean better food.

Where and when did your career in food begin?
When I was fifteen, I wanted a car, so I started washing dishes at a local cafe one summer. It was ridiculously hot and humid back there, but I loved the chaos of the kitchen

When did you decide you wanted to be a chef?
From a young age, I was always watching cooking shows and helping my mom in the kitchen.

If you didn't become a chef, what would you be?
I wanted to be a professor for a while, but then I realized I would miss the kitchen.

Who/what has shaped your cooking the most over the years?
I've had mentors, but more than anything, just eating and experiencing a wide variety of flavors and foods and reading as much as possible is imperative. Also, by trying every possible combination of ingredients while cooking, I've learned what works and what does not.

What are your favorite culinary weapons in the kitchen?
Chile, and peppers in general, finds its way into most things. I love cream (I don't use much butter), and bacon (it's simply heavenly to me).

Which foreign country inspires your style most?
The simplicity of the cooking style of Italy finds its way into most of the dishes here at Thor.

What influences your cooking style and particularly the menu at Thor?
I've kind of reigned my style in a bit for Thor. I tend to do a lot of global things; but this being more of a bistro, I tried to reserve the cooking a bit. But, those global ingredients still find their way in there. One sauce I use is basically that green sauce you get with the pappadams at the beginning of an Indian meal.

What is your favorite secret ingredient?
It depends on what the dish needs to balance it. Sometimes cream or bacon if it needs fat, herbs or lemon if it needs acid. I incorporate a lot of Worcestershire sauce into the menu here at Thor.

If I'm trying to watch my weight and I'm eating at your restaurant, what am I ordering to eat?
I would start with the grilled octopus with fennel olive panzanella -- it's nearly fat free; but it is prepared with lots of herbs and a few olives, so it has a lot of flavor. Then, move on to the Chile glazed duck breast with tangerine fennel salad -- it's also low in fat because we render most of the fat out of the breast and serve it on a salad of tangerines and fennel; so, it's very light and healthy.

When you are not eating at your own restaurant... you are eating at?
Mostly in Queens, where I live, but in the city I love Fatty Crab because it's ridiculously spicy at times.

What are some recent dining and culinary trends you have been observing?
I've noticed a change in menu formats. I like the whole small plates craze that has taken over New York restaurants because it allows the diner to taste more dishes and gives the customer the freedom to either just snack and drink casually or have a multitude of courses during a meal.

What was the most challenging meal you had to make? Why?
I once had to make 300 pounds of chile powder from jalapeno powder, chipotle powder, and garlic powder. The entire kitchen was in tears!

What was your worst restaurant disaster?
A few months ago, it started pouring at around 5 pm and the dining room roof sprung a major leak. The ceiling panels over the dish pit caved in and the dish pit was two inches deep in water. To make matters worse, we also lost power.

What is the one rule or value you try to instill in all of your staff?
Have fun. Restaurants are fun to work in, and I try to instill enthusiasm in the staff.