What were your favorite foods growing up?
The women in my family can really cook. My mom used to make us the best stuff: quiche, beef stroganoff, lasagna. My grandmother was a baker; I must have had her chocolate cake every birthday till I was in college. I always loved pasta and still do.

When did you decide you wanted to be a chef?
When I was in high school I broke my leg badly and had a lot of time to sit around and think about life while I recovered. Watching food icons like Julia and Pepin, also new faces at the time like Emeril and reading a lot about food, it really piqued my interest, I have never looked back.

Where and when did your career in food begin?
After I recovered from a broken leg injury I got a job at a local restaurant in New Jersey where I grew up. Everyday was such a learning experience; I was fascinated with cooking & all things culinary. Life in the kitchen really sucked me in. I eventually ended up in culinary school & have been cooking ever since.

If you didn't become a chef, what would you be?
I used to race bicycles, I always thought I would do that forever. I still ride but not for competition just for fun.

Who/what has shaped your cooking the most over the years?
I have had a lot of mentors & influences over the years but what I took in and what defines me most is that I think of my job as a profession and always continue to push myself to learn more and be better at what I do.

What influences your cooking style and particularly the menu at your restaurant?
Ingredients, seasonality and technique. I want to cook the freshest, seasonal foods that I can. I love pasta & Italian food, which represents my heritage.

What are your favorite culinary weapons in the kitchen?
Salt and acid. Food without it is bland.

What is the one rule or value you try to instill in all of your staff?
To always seek to improve. Cooking is inherently a repetitive skill. There is always a chance to do something better than you did the last time. Finding satisfaction in the constant opportunity to do the same thing over and over is a crucial element in being a successful cook.

What qualities do you look for when hiring cooks for your restaurant?
Attitude is paramount. Skills can be acquired, but the focus & determination needed is something you can just sense in people. I look for that more than anything.

What was your worst restaurant disaster?
During a busy service in a Manhattan restaurant all of the sudden the lights went out, I mean everything. The gas was shut off by a fail-safe in the building, we had nothing. I thought it was just us, just our restaurant; we walked outside & realized that there were no lights at all on the street everyone was out. Even the streetlights. The whole city was in a blackout! Some people were in mid-meal, we couldn't cook, they couldn't pay & no one could see. The power was out for a long time & when it came back on we were throwing away a lot of food from the refrigerators, which had not worked for a while. It was a crazy moment to live through.

What is your beverage of choice?
When I'm working, water. Otherwise wine. There is as much variation in wine as in food. It really is amazing to taste all the different incarnations that simple grapes can be expressed in.

When you are not eating at your own restaurant, where are you eating?
I like to support friends & peers by eating at their restaurants.

Which foreign country inspires your style most?
Italy

What is your best cooking tip for a home enthusiast?
Season your food and take your time

What do you eat when you are home?
Simple foods. I love to make a salad with lots of fresh vegetables, croutons and cheese. I really appreciate variation in texture and flavor in food.