What were your favorite foods growing up?
Mom's meatloaf

When did you decide you wanted to be a chef?
At age 12

Where and when did your career in food begin?
An apprenticeship at a hotel school Wald und Schlosshotel Friedrichsruhe

If you didn't become a chef, what would you be?
I would be a biologist or chemist

Who/what has shaped your cooking the most over the years?
It was shaped the most through my travels.

How would you describe your cuisine?
Varied and various

What influences your cooking style and particularly the menu at Chef Direct?
Curiosity, traveling all over the world, using the best ingredients and creating variety

What are your favorite culinary weapons in the kitchen?
My Tlobal knives and combi ovens

What is your favorite secret ingredient?
Roasted garlic puree

What is the one rule or value you try to instill in all of your staff?
Respect the people, the food and don't over complicate it.

What qualities do you look for when hiring cooks for your restaurant?
They are flexible, do not have an attitude and have the basics down

If I'm trying to watch my weight and I'm eating at your restaurant, what should I order to eat?
Fresh Direct has a line of diet meals

What was the most challenging meal you had to make? Cooking penne pasta at the Tribeca Grill for Robert DeNiro

What is your least favorite food?
Eggplant

What is your beverage of choice?
Gaia, wines from Piedmonte

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

What was the most spectacular meal you have ever had?
It was an eight-course lobster meal at Paris Joel Rebouchon, which is now closed.

What is your best cooking tip for a home enthusiast?
Purchase quality ingredients, keep it simple, go with your gut and don't give up.

What do you eat when you are home?
Salads, steamed fish and pasta