What were your favorite foods growing up?
My favorite foods growing up were Southern fried chicken and barbeque.

What is your least favorite food?
I hate green peppers.

What is your beverage of choice?
Good wine.

What do you eat when you are home?
Normally, I like to throw together a quick pasta with olive oil, garlic and broccoli rabe.

What is your best cooking tip for a home enthusiast?
Keep it simple. When you use fresh, quality food, there doesn't need to be too many steps involved.

Where and when did your career in food begin?
My career in food began in my mother's kitchen and in a small restaurant in Georgia, where I bussed tables. But, my real cooking career started when I was a student at the CIA (Culinary Institute of America) and fell in love with food and gained a larger understanding and appreciation for the art of cooking.

When did you decide you wanted to be a chef? Who taught you how to cook?
I always loved cooking and it was always in the back of my head. I was raised by an Italian mother and grandmother, so cooking was a major part of our family. Sunday suppers were a weekly affair that began with cooking in the kitchen early in the morning. I was always in the kitchen helping and paying attention. My first job was at a restaurant in Georgia where I started by bussing tables. After playing college baseball in North Carolina and realizing that I most likely wasn't going pro, I started looking into pursuing cooking as a career.

If you didn't become a chef, what would you be?
I would be a professional baseball player.

Who/what has shaped your cooking the most over the years?
Traveling the world has really shaped my cooking over the years. Being able to see how different cultures eat and what different ingredients are used around the globe has taught me a lot.

What are your favorite culinary weapons in the kitchen?
Definitely, my knives and my cast iron skillet

Which cities have the most exciting restaurant scene?
I love New York City — here is every type of food available and it is ever-changing. I also love Paris, Rome and Tokyo. They all have amazing restaurant scenes.

What is your favorite secret ingredient?
Well, if I told you, it wouldn't be a secret, would it?

Which foreign country inspires your style most?
There are a lot of foreign countries that inspire my style, but I would say that Italy has had the biggest effect on my style.

When you are not eating at your own restaurants, you are eating at?
Everywhere. I am constantly finding new restaurants to visit. That is one of my passions.

What is the one rule or value you try to instill in all of your staff?
Be passionate in what you do. Whether you are front of the house or back of the house, have pride and passion in your job.