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After a five-year run as the executive chef at One If By Land, Two if by Sea, chef Gary Volkov is gearing up to launch his own eatery, Prince Street Cafe.  Veering off from the upscale dining scene, Volkov  and partner, Konstyantyn Prokoshyn (Cafe Boulud), open the doors to this casual eatery Tuesday, September 4th. 

The airy, 60-seat space will host a front of the house, all-day cafe, furbished with two-toned green booths that line exposed brick walls.  Here, he'll be serving fresh-baked chocolate croissants, citrus french toast and an array of fritattas.  Through September 11th, the special house blend coffee stands at a mere 26 cents.  Ah, the good old days when coins could actually buy something other than a gumball.

Gary will also be integrating the haute concept of an amuse bouche into this laid back spot - even 26 cent coffee will be served with a gratis chocolate. 

In the back dining room, you'll find a sunny, skylit setting, glossed in chocolate and apricot accents. On the menu: traditional sandwiches, paninis, and burgers with handcut fried and homemade pickles. 

Volkov sneaks his skilled technique into even the most relaxed dining affairs.  Grilled falafel burgers are punched up with coffee tahini dressing, a wrap reveals miso-glazed salmon and homemade gnocchi comes smothered in pignoli nut pesto.

For dessert, Volkov lured pastry chef Andrea Jarosh away from One if By Land.  So expect some serious talent by way of homemade cakes and pies as well as a riot of cupcakes, ice cream and sorbet.  Best of all, you can design your own cake or pie with advance notice.  I'm toying with a chocolate, peanut butter and banana cake concept right now...

Address: 26 Prince St., nr. Elizabeth St.
Phone: (212)343-7310
Opens: Tuesday, September 4th

Until we eat again,
Restaurant Girl

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It's been seven years, and chef Anita Lo is still proud to call the West Village restaurant Annisa, her own.  Lo has reigned as head chef, co-owner, and creative mind for the better part of a decade, while serving as consulting chef and partner for the successful (and soon to be  nationally expanding) dumpling house, Rickshaw Dumpling Bar.  She also found time to promote a calcium-filled diet, assuming a full-fledged milk mustache in the Got Milk? campaign.  At Annisa, Arabic for "women" (co-owned by Lo and Jennifer Scism), signature dishes include grilled Australian lamb tenderloin with Szechuan peppercorn, white soybeans and garlic chives, as well as the smoked Berkshire pork loin with millet, swiss chard and gruyere.

Status: Single/Married/Divorced
Single (gay)

What did you want to be when you grew up?
A concert pianist.

What was your first job in food?
Making canapes at Bouley.

As a second generation Chinese-American and an extensive education in French cuisine from Columbia University and time spent abroad, how have you blended the two cuisines?
Columbia was actually just a BA in French Literature which has perhaps helped me develop a multicultural perspective on the world and cooking.  My technical base is mostly French, but I bring in influences from anywhere and everywhere.

You worked at Bouley - one of NYC's most well-known restaurants - in its first year. How did working in a young, highly successful restaurant prepare you for eventually opening your own place?
Bouley taught me a profound appreciation of raw ingredients as well as the need for speed and accuracy.  It certainly toughened me, which is necessary for any chef who will need to work 24/7 when opening a restaurant.

You spent two years at Mirezi on Lower  Fifth Avenue, where you were given two stars by the New York Times.  What was the final push that got you to open your own place?
Really until then, I had no intention of opening my own place.  It seemed like a lot of headache that didn't have much to do with cooking.  (I was younger then and lived more in the present...)  I realized at Mirezi that I needed complete creative freedom and I couldn't wait around for someone to offer me that.

You were one of the faces for the national Got Milk? campaign, donning the milk mustache and all.  How did that opportunity arise and what was it like?
A friend of mine and a great chef, Patricia Williams, had been called to be in that ad, and had suggested I be included as well.  My mother was very proud and still has the poster in her kitchen, so I get to look at Pat, Marcus and Francois Payard every time I visit.

You opened Annisa in 2000 and are still thriving in 2007.  How have you survived in a city where most restaurants close in their first year?
Good question!  I've been lucky with a great team who are passionate about what they do.

You are a consulting chef and partner for Rickshaw Dumpling, a dumpling house that you plan to expand nationally.  How did you get involved in this project?
The CEO, Kenny Lao, knew of my work and approached me. When it came time to open, it fell at a good time for me, and was a natural fit as far as the concept was concerned.

You spent a significant amount of time training in France. Do you have any desire to open a French restaurant?
Of course; I'd love to do a little bistro one day.

The presence of exceptional female NYC chefs is on the rise.  How has being a female in a male-dominated industry affected your career?
I'm not sure, but I feel sometimes that I had to be more independent. Although I've been lucky, I've never been showered with opportunity like some of the other male chefs, but that may or may not have anything to do with gender.  In a way, it has been good to be female from a media standpoint because you stand out.

Any "off the menu" dishes we should know about?
I always have a vegetarian entree available in addition to the one on our menu.

What's your favorite dish on your menu, and why?
I don't really have one, but if pressed, I'd say the skate with radishes and avocado.  It's a Korean influenced dish that looks at the combination both raw and cooked.

What's your least favorite dish (and yes, you must pick one)?
I have a summer soup on the menu that I was never sure of.  It is a chilled cucumber and honeydew soup garnished with a stuffed zucchini flower.  I ran it as a special (I thought it was good enough, but not that fabulous), and it got a really good reception so I put it on.

What is your junk food of choice?
Depends on the day.  I'm not a food snob; I love a good hot dog, Cheez Whiz, Philadelphia cheese steak...

Other than your own, what's your favorite restaurant in NYC?
Jewel Bako.

What culinary trend do you most embrace?
That's a hard one.  I'm happy that chefs are more interested in the environment and sustainability, but I can't say that that is my focus at Annisa.

What trend do you wish would die already?
There's room for everything.  Diversity is great.

What's next on the horizon foryou?  Are there any new ventures or restaurants in the works?  Spill the beans...
We are expanding Rickshaw Dumpling Bar.  In a few weeks our second location on 8th street between University and Broadway will open.  I'm also working on an Asian Barbecue concept for hopefully a late fall/early winter opening.  I have a beautiful space on Bleecker Street between 7th Avenue South and Grove.

Phone: 212.741.6699
Address: 13 Barrow St., nr. W. 4th St.

Until we eat again,
Restaurant Girl
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Robert and Enrico Malto, brothers who run a smattering of neighborhood joints scattered about the city (Il Bastardo, Puttanesca and Zucchero e Pomodoro), are set to introduce a taste of Mexican to Hell's Kitchen.  Lime Jungle, the newest addition to the fold, will be serving fresh fish tacos, homemade corn tamales and a sizable selection of empanadas.  For the carb-averse, this mexican grill also offers a "lean quesadilla" and "low carb taco" alternative. 

While there's no table service at this take-out place, there will be table seating for thirty-two as well as fourteen at the counter.  Feel free to linger over frozen sangria, margaritas (mango, peach, strawberry and pomegranate), or Mexican beers.  Chef Alba Bastidias, who co-owns both Mama's Empanadas and Papa's Empanadas (with her husband Alberto Bastidias), will herald the kitchen at this joint.  In short, don't skip the empanadas. Gothamist gave both spots their stamp of approval: "The empanadas at both locations are made fresh daily, cooked to order (baked or fried) and served with cups of cilantro-spiked aji.   There are beautiful moments on the menu—the Chorizo was tenderly spiced, the Queso delicious in its humility and the Chili-Dog was embarrassingly addictive." 

Cuisine: Mexican Grill
Phone: (212)586-6032
Address: 803 Ninth Ave. (Hell's Kitchen)
Opens September 15th

Until we eat again,
Restaurant Girl
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Restaurateur and chef Marc Murphy and his wife, Pamela Schein Murphy, blazed a trail to Tribeca when the two introduced Landmarc to the neighborhood.  Murphy's modern interpretation of an Italian-inflected French bistro was well-received not only by the locals, but also by the NYC's dining public at large.  Though he's trained in some of the most upscale of kitchens, including La Fourchette & Le Cirque, he's managed to integrate his penchant for the casual with his haute techniques at both Landmarc and West Village seafood shack, Ditch Plains.

Having created a highly successful patent that changed the face of neighborhood dining, Murphy launched Landmarc at the Time Warner Center earlier this year.  A hard formula to beat, Landmarc's laid back atmosphere and unusually affordable wine list seem a welcome change for a posh urban mall, brimming with the cream of the culinary crop.

Status: Single/Married/Divorced
Married.

What did you want to be when you grew up?
I wanted to be a racecar driver.

What was your first job in food?
My first job in food was in high school when I used to get in trouble in school, I’d have to work in the kitchen. I loved it. 

As a diplomat’s son, how did traveling around the world - Milan, Paris, Villefranche, Washington DC, Rome and Genoa – influence your experience with food?  And your childhood?  
Traveling and eating through all the different countries and trying the different cuisines got me excited about food.

You worked with many a great chef, including Terrance Brennan and Alain Ducasse; what did you learn from them?
Brennan taught me not only to work hard but how to have fun in the kitchen.
Working with Ducasse opened the door to working with Portay at Le Cirque.  Why did you elect Tribeca for your first Landmarc?   Were you ever concerned the location would discourage uptowners from making the trek, or did you simply set out to implement a neighborhood restaurant?  I never intended on having a destination restaurant. I want all my restaurants to be something the neighborhood can enjoy. That’s why delivery works out so well too. People end up eating our food 3-4 times a week.

 
You recently opened another Landmarc, a massive version, in the Time Warner Center. What’s it like rubbing elbows with Thomas Keller of Per Se and Masa Takayama at the eponymous Masa?
We don’t really end up rubbing elbows. The Time Warner Center ends up feeling more like a neighborhood. Like we’re on one corner of the street and they’re on the other.

Landmarc’s wine list is notably extensive, but extremely affordable.  How do you manage to charge so little for your wines and still make a profit?
We sell a lot more wine.  I used to work in fine dining at Cellar in the Sky at the WTC and at La Fourchette. When I worked in those places, I’d only see my friends once or twice a year on special occasions. I wanted to have a restaurant where I’d see my friends once or twice a week. And that’s what we’ve created.

Ditch Plains is obviously a nod to Montauk’s surf beach in Long Island.  Do you surf in your spare time?  I heard you boogie board a bit…any truth in that?
Yes, I love to surf and I love to boogie board. 

Would you ever consider opening in the Hamptons or expanding the Ditch Plains concept to other cities or states?
I would never open a restaurant in the Hamptons because that’s where I go to relax. I would open another Ditch Plains in other cities or states though.

One of your “word of mouth” dishes, the Ditch Dog at Ditch Plains, - a snappy hotdog topped with macaroni and cheese – isn’t anywhere to be found on your menu.  Why keep it a secret?
We feel it’s something special for the customer to know and show off to their friends. It creates a concept of ownership.

Any other “off the menu” dishes we should know about?
No yet.

What's your favorite dish on Landmarc’s menu, and why?
I like all of the dishes, that’s why I have such a hard time choosing what I eat there. I can’t decide.

What's your least favorite dish (and yes, you must pick one)?
The mixed green salad.

What is your junk food of choice?
The egg mcmuffin.

Other than your own, what's your favorite restaurant in NYC?
Crispo and Extra Virgin

What culinary trend do you most embrace?
Casual dining and inexpensive wine lists…if it’s not yet a trend let’s start it, so I can start eating out more.

What trend do you wish would die already?
Foam

What's next on the horizon for you?  Are there any new ventures or restaurants in the works?  Spill the beans…
We talk to everyone. Nothing has materialized yet.  We’re looking for the right place, the right concept and the right time.

Phone: 212.343.3833
Address: 179 W. Broadway, btwn. Leonard & Worth Sts.

Until we eat again,
Restaurant Girl
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Chef Todd Mitgang's first week out of the gate at Crave Ceviche Bar promptly yielded a dish of the week: a very good sign indeed.  His inventive twists on the traditional result in champagne-soaked arctic char and "black and blue" veal cured in sherry vinegar and crushed olives. 

The menu at this beachy midtowner winningly deceives with an appetizer labeled "traditional shrimp ceviche."  Though anchored in a straightforward marinade of lime juice, jalapeno and cilantro, succulent shrimp are tossed with terrifically charred nibbles of corn, tangy hearts of palm, and tomatoes. But what really sets this dish apart is the salty crunch it receives from a whimsical sprinkling of ancho chile-spiced popcorn.

Address: 946 Second Ave., nr. 50th Street
Phone: 212.355.6565

Until we eat again,
Restaurant Girl
**Don't forget to subscribe for Restaurant Girl's Weekly Newsletter**

Somewhat of a pioneer in the pastry movement, Will Goldfarb launched the radically successful dessert bar Room 4 Dessert.  There he charmed diners with such vanguard creations as litchi sorbet with tea air and choco bubbles.  Though Room 4 Dessert has recently shut its doors (due to creative differences amongst partners), Goldfarb shows no signs of slowing down.  His newest venture, Picnick, will bestow a "green" kiosk on Battery Park, bearing haute sandwiches and pannacotta in paper cups (opens Labor Day weekend).  A student of Le Cordon Bleu and Ferran Adria's at Spain's three-starred El Bulli, Goldfarb has emerged an ingenious "mad scientist," fascinated with chemically altered states of cooking.

Status: Single/Married/Divorced
Happily married.

How did you meet your wife?
She interviewed me to see if I would be a good roommate for a shared apartment on Bleecker Street.  The first time that I saw her, I knew that we would be married shortly.  We were engaged a few weeks later.

Does your wife work in the restaurant industry?
She is starting her own company specializing in residential kitchen design.

What did you want to be when you grew up?
A soccer player.

How do you go from applying for law school to fleeing to France to cook for five years?
Virgin Atlantic.  Even the economy class had excellent bar service and plenty of legroom.

How did you gravitate toward sweet versus savory?
I have always been preparing food.  Most food is sweet and savory.  The trick is to have the correct balance based on the customers perception of what each course "should" taste like.

Do you believe you played a part in the recent dessert bar trend in New York?
I was fortunate to be at the opening of Espai Sucre in Barcelona in 2000.  Chika Tillman definitely should have the credit for opening the first bar in New  York. I think that Room 4 Dessert would definitely be credited with starting the pastry chef trend as crossover/rock star status that it has found in the media in the last 18 months.

Were you ever worried the concept for Room 4 Dessert wouldn’t take off?
[I worried] everyday until I walked away.  But people really loved it.  Whenever the media and your clientele agree with your taste, you are very fortunate.  But, I think that the ability to communicate directly with the customer was the key to our success.

News just broke that Room 4 Dessert has closed.  Was that difficult for you?
It was difficult for me to walk away from 17 Cleveland Place. Room 4 Dessert is alive and well with me. 

What’s next for you? Will you be gifting New Yorkers with another dessert bar in the imminent future?
Imminent is a word I never like to use in terms of a New York opening, but you can be sure that my desserts will be coming soon to a mouth near you.  Fortunately, I have a lot of projects in the pipeline, at different levels of development.  And I will be happy to share them with you when it is appropriate.  Right now I want to focus on Picnick...

There’s a “green” kiosk in Battery Park in the works for a Labor Day opening? What did you build it out of? What’s on the menu?
Actually, Claire Weisz, of Weisz & Yoes, designed the beautiful kiosks in The Battery for The Battery Conservancy.  It is made with love.  The items are really straightforward sandwiches, salads and drinks. This what real people want to eat everyday. 

Rumor has it you’ll also be reopening in a different location with a savory selection in tote come February. What do you envision for your new restaurant?
I love rumors.  They are so much more interesting than facts.  I would like to branch out (since I have been alternating between "real" food and dessert for 10 years) but I think that it is intelligent to focus on dessert, as it is integral to my brand development.  It would be premature to comment on any anticipated openings, but I love the bar structure, and I think that customers do too. I think that a fresh market cooked to order menu with little pretense would be a welcome addition to the Manhattan restaurant scene. And then if I become famous enough, and financially successful enough, I would consider a gastronomic bar...

After living abroad for so many years, would you ever consider opening Room 4 Dessert bars in other countries?
I've more than considered. I am currently reviewing proposals from each continent with the exception of Africa (for now!)  I think that our signature style is in much demand, as evidenced by our massive media following from around the world, and our international clientele. I think that world domination would be a fair analysis of my aims, but I would also be happy selling cigarettes on the beach in Puglia, if it means I get to see more of my wife and daughter.

Your style is anything but run-of-the-mill to say the least, what inspires your atypical style, manifesting in frozen chocolate mousse, caviar mango and apple tartare?
My wife and daughter.

You’ve even created your own line of products that you now sell on your site, Willpowder.  Who are your gastronomically inclined customers?
"All shapes and sizes, Vince. All shapes and sizes."  Many professional chefs are interested in learning more about the ingredients that are a part of my repertoire.  We have tried to structure our offerings to give people the chance to buy a little product and learn from our recipes, and then offer a better price on bulk products, when they become a part of our chef/partners' repertoires.  I think 2008 will see a much greater crossover to the home, and I would like to help enable that.  Basically, I'm doing it for the mortgage.  But as I'm sure you know, there are a lot of faster ways to pay the mortgage.  I am only involved with projects that I am passionate about.

Have you always been interested in chemistry? What inspired your molecular curiosities?
I was a decent chemistry student in high school, and skipped it at Duke [University] because it seemed too boring.  I have learned a lot from Herve This in developing a better understanding, but I am not a scientist, just a cook.

You also constructed a rather serious cocktail menu for Room 4 Dessert.  Do you fancy yourself a mixologist or is this another vehicle to dessert?
I like to drink.  And I like when a restaurant has consistency among its offerings, and this should extend to the wine and spirits program. The luxury about dessert is that all roads lead there.  I am not a mixologist; Jim Meehan, Yvan Lemoine, Dale DeGroff... these are mixologists.

You attracted quite a following at Room 4 Dessert.  Where do you suggest loyalists indulge their sweet tooth until you reopen?
I was very lucky to have so much support.  Room 4 Dessert customers are the best in the world.  In the meantime, I would suggest that they go to WD-50 to try Alex Stupak's desserts, P*ONG, and of course Tailor by Sam Mason, which I am hoping will open very soon.  There are several pastry chefs like Johnny Iuzzini, Sebastien Rouxel, Michael Laiskonis, and Alex Grunert, who are all excellent.  The only challenge in regularly tasting their desserts is that they would include a fine dining tasting menu, which can be somewhat expensive.  Although the bar at Bouchon Bakery in the Time Warner Center is pretty solid as well.  I would recommend the Maison du Chocolat and Pierre Marcolini on the chocolate side, and then you can just email me and I'll bring something special to your home. I've got free time.

Many new restaurants have opted to outsource their pastries. What are your thoughts? Do you ever worry that pastries will become a thing of the past?
I am actually in favor of this trend because it has the ability to reward me financially, as well as offering an interesting opportunity for brand extension.  Pastries will always be in high demand because people love them.  The fact that small to medium restaurants simply cannot afford a high ticket pastry chef, along with a limited labor pool, and new opportunities for entrepreneurial pastry chefs, means that outsourcing as a trend is likely to continue. Thank heavens.

I read somewhere that you don’t eat dessert, is that really the case?
I don't believe anything I read, especially if it is about me.

What is your junk food of choice?
A McDonald's double cheeseburger from the dollar menu - no contest.

What are your favorite restaurants in NYC?
Tia Pol, Momofuku and Momofuku, Ssam, Degustation, and WD-50.  I am also very fond of these restaurants lately: The Tavern at Gramercy, Eleven Madison, Parigot, Quartino, and of course, Zabb Thai in Queens. I like a lot of restaurants in New York, and now I have the chance to eat at some of them.

What culinary trend do you most embrace?
The rise of the pastry chef as a rock star.

What trend do you wish would die already?
The rise of the pastry chef as a rock star.

Any other projects on the horizon for you? Any new ventures or restaurants in the works? Spill the beans...
Stay tuned...

Until we eat again,
Restaurant Girl
**Don't forget to subscribe for Restaurant Girl's Weekly Newsletter**

Laurent Tourondel has successfully done steak (BLT Steak), seafood (BLT Fish) and like everyone else, a burger joint (BLT Burger).  Now, he's jumping on the market bandwagon with BLT Market.  A seasonal affair, BLT Market will embrace locally-sourced produce with a menu that rotates monthly.  Come fall, chef Tourondel will dabble in dishes like an arugula and dandelion salad, pan-seared striped bass with cranberry bean caponata and fennel confit, and Amish chicken Provencal. 

A glimpse of the interior reveals creamy walls lined with vibrant paintings of tomatoes (an obvious nod to the market component) and bare bulb light fixtures which hang over reclaimed wood tables and chairs.  Though this appears a more casual endeavor for Tourondel, we can't forget it's housed in Central Park South's Ritz Carlton.

Opening its doors August 16th, BLT Market will serve dinner on a walk-in basis only with a 10% discount.  Come September 10th, you'll have to sacrifice your 10% discount for a reservation.

Phone: 212.521.6125
Address: 1430 Avenue of the Americas
Website: www.bltmarket.com

Until we eat again,
Restaurant Girl
**Don't forget to subscribe for Restaurant Girl's Weekly Newsletter**

Yesterday, we got a glimpse of Spitzer's Corner as it unfolds on the Lower East Side.  Today, we unveil the New American gastropub menu.  Without further ado...
   
Spitzer’s Corner Menu                           

Bar Snacks

Homemade Spiced Potato Chips

Pork Fat Popcorn

Marinated Olives

Pot of Pickles

Roasted Almonds

Oyster Bar

East and West Coast Oysters, mignonette / red cocktail sauce

Small Plates

Rocket Arugula Salad, grapefruit, avocado & shaved parmesan

Beer-Battered Oysters, mustard cabbage slaw, herb remoulade

Charcuterie Plate w/ a selection of cured meats and artisanal cheese

Fried Zucchini Blossoms, ricotta, truffle oil

Bacon wrapped Chicken Liver Skewers

Grilled Cuttlefish, preserved lemon, ink sauce

Grilled Lamb Ribs, harissa glaze

Large Plates

Steamed Mussels, Italian sausage, peppers, tomatoes

PBLT—Crispy Pork Belly, lettuce, tomato on Challah

House Burger on a brioche bun, Tillamook cheddar, caramelized onion

Grilled Skirt Steak, fresh horseradish, fingerling potatoes

Spitzer’s Fish and Chips, malt and vinegar

Chicken Breast, potato puree, braised cabbage, pilsner jus

Sides

Super Crispy Fries

Broccoli Rabe

Spitzer's Corner will have a dry run - TOMORROW: AUGUST 11th - launching with beer, wine and raw bar bites.  The full menu soon to follow.

Until we eat again,
Restaurant Girl
**Don't forget to subscribe for Restaurant Girl's Weekly Newsletter**

Okay, so it doesn't look like Spitzer's Corner is opening this week, but we did manage to sneak in and take a peek at the goods.  Right this way, ladies and gentlemen... this Lower East Sider's outfitted with reclaimed pickle barrel wood walls, long wood tables, metal chairs and two zinc bars (one per dining room).  The Shamlian brothers' communal eatery will no doubt be a laid back social affair.  But wait there's more...

Floor-to-ceiling retractable glass windows will open up to the street, where they'll be outdoor seating for twenty, a grand total of 120 seats at this New American gastropub.  To refresh your memory, Will & Rob Shamlian bid adieu to Sam Talbot awhile back, recruiting chef Michael Cooperman (Le Bernadin) to take over kitchen duties.

Oh, we got a glimpse of the menu too: There's a doozy of a raw bar that's soon to display west & east coast oysters, shrimp and king crab legs.  The seafood-studded menu features a whole fish version of fish & chips, cuttlefish in squid ink sauce and beer-battered oysters.  The carnivorously-inclined can feast on the house burger, grilled lamb ribs with harissa and the "PBLT" (crisp pork belly, lettuce & tomato on challah bread).  Cooperman wraps with fried donuts, sorbet and ice cream.  Just a light bar snack with your beer on tap, think pork fat popcorn, LES pot of pickles or mixed olives. 

Until we eat again,
Restaurant Girl
**Don't forget to subscribe for Restaurant Girl's Weekly Newsletter**

As the executive chef at NYC's first seasonal restaurant, Park Avenue Summer, Craig Koketsu's menu will morph at the whim of the seasons (as will the space itself).  Craig Koketsu has become quite adaptable to change: afterall, he oversaw Manhattan Ocean Club's kitchen as it transformed into the chic  Quality Meats.  Craig didn't travel a traditional path to the kitchen, instead spending his early years in UC Berkeley's library.  From there, he skipped culinary school and went straight to numerous California kitchens then to NYC to work under the tutelage of luminary Christian Delouvrier at Lespinasse.  This summer’s menu, which will soon fall (as well as the space itself) into autumn, purveys soy-battered soft shell crabs, grilled langoustines and fluke dabbed with plum & cilantro paste.

Status: Single/Married/Divorced
Married to my incredibly beautiful and talented wife, Juliana Cho.

What did you want to be when you grew up?
I wanted to be a lot of things when I was a kid – an industrial designer, hairstylist (don’t ask), photographer. . . But when I was in college, I was a rhetoric major which was a typical path to becoming a lawyer. Instead of studying, however, I spent most of my time copying recipes from cookbooks in the bookstores and cooking for my girlfriend (now my wife). That’s when I decided I should just become a cook.

What was your first job in food?
After graduating from college, I applied at a Japanese/French restaurant to be a prep cook. The woman that took my application told me they only had a dishwasher position open. I told her I’d take it and she looked at me like I was crazy. The first thing they had me do was sweep the parking lot. Then I cleaned the bathrooms. I ended up in the Japanese part of the kitchen, hand washing all the little plates that couldn’t go through the machine. As much as I hated it, I could tell that working in the kitchen was going to be a good fit.

Are you spending all of your time at  Park Avenue Summer or will you be darting back  & forth between there and Quality Meats? 
Darting back & forth. Fortunately, I have great teams and chefs de cuisine at both restaurants, which allow me that flexibility. And the two restaurants are in pretty close proximity.

You’ve been with The Smith & Wollensky Group when Quality Meats was Manhattan Ocean Club, so you’re obviously well-versed in seafood. Do you still use this as an opportunity to express your seafaring expertise?
I think I’ll always be partial to seafood – there are so many varieties and it’s so versatile. Especially now, during the summer, when people want to eat lighter dishes, I have a heavy seafood representation on the menu. 

What's your favorite dish on the summer menu?
I know you only asked for one, but I have to give you two that I like equally – the Fluke Sashimi with Plum and Cilantro and the Monkfish with Spaghetti Squash and Pink Peppercorn Brown Butter.

Are you stressed about the notion of having to create a whole new menu every season?
I wouldn’t say “stressed”.  Creating menus is probably the best part of being a chef. It does pose an interesting challenge, however. Whereas most restaurants change their menus a few dishes at a time, we’re changing our entire menu all at once which could be a little difficult.

What's your least favorite dish (and yes, you must pick one)?
I guess it would be the Vegetable Garden Salad.  A green salad is one of those choices that you almost have to offer.

What is your junk food of choice?
Beard Papa cream puffs.

Other than your own, what's your favorite restaurant in NYC?
That’s a tough one. I hate the word “favorite” because it’s so absolute and there are so many great places to eat here. But I really like Casa in the West Village. It’s a small Brazilian restaurant. The food is so clean and they have great feijoada (pork, beans, rice & kale). There’s also a place in my neighborhood called Barcibo that serves really good food and they do it all off of two Bunn burners and an oven.

What culinary trend do you most embrace?
I’m big on anything that ultimately improves the quality, flavor, and/or the appearance of the dishes that I make – whether it be hardware, e.g. sous vide, cvap oven; or software, e.g. food chemicals and starches. But I really don’t want the diner to acknowledge the technique or technology that goes into a dish, I just want them to enjoy what they’re eating.

What trend do you wish would die already?
Deconstructing food to the point that it has no semblance (in taste) to the original inspiration.

What's next on the horizon for you? Any new ventures or restaurants in the works? Spill the beans…
We’re planning on opening this really cool restaurant in the fall. It’s going to be called Park Avenue Autumn.

Address: 100 E. 63rd St., nr. Park Ave.
Phone: 212.644.1900

Until we eat again,
Restaurant Girl
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