Behind the Line

Topic: Your Career

Are you feeling the siren song of another city? Another exotic locale? Would you consider moving to or working from another city, state, country? What would you do?

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I had to stop watching "House Hunters International" because I get the itch too often. I love Chicago, but I get the itch quite frequently for Europe, Africa, Carribean... I think if we ever did an... more »

Last updated: Feb 8 2013

 

Have you got the itch to hit "Hollywood"? Does the idea of having a cooking show or series interest you? If so, what would you do?

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I want a travel show. Travel and shopping show, actually.

Last updated: Feb 8 2013

 

No doubt you've got your favorite menu items and specialties. Wouldn't it be dreamy to open a place specializing in your favorite items? Like a crêpe cafe, an ice cream shop, a charcuterie shack, etc. What would your ideal spin-off be?

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Michael would want JUST CHEESE. A cheese-only restaurant. Myself, I would want a restaurant that's totally outside. Outside only. Cooking, service, everything.

Last updated: Feb 8 2013

 

It's an impressive and exciting challenge to try your hand in different levels of service. From high-end to counter-service casual, do you have ideas of opening a restaurant at a different level of service than your current operation? What are your ideas?

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Brindille when it opens, will have a style of service similar to Naha but due to the size of the room and detail, even more personalized. But if I open a 24-hour restaurant, it would definitely be ... more »

Last updated: Feb 8 2013

 

Let's talk about your casual restaurant dreams. Do you wish you could open up an ultra-casual BBQ, burger or taco spot? What are your ideas?

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13 years ago, my cousin Michael wanted to open a burger-and-cocktail bar. Now of course, everyone has a burger-and-cocktail bar. For me, now my casual restaurant dream is from my childhood: a famil... more »

Last updated: Feb 8 2013

 

Have you got the itch to go literary? Would you like to write a cookbook? If so, what are your cookbook ideas, and title possibilities?

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I would like to write two cookbooks: one, a very pictorial cookbook about the cuisine of Armenia and the Middle East, where there are many political boundaries but no culinary boundaries. The foods... more »

Last updated: Feb 8 2013

 

Ambitions to land your own reality show? Pen a tell-all? Or perhaps something more tame? What projects are you planning? (Is it a dream or a reality?)

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Brindille! Our new Parisian-inspired, intimate, dinner-only restaurant is opening in spring right up the street. It's coming along nicely... We're also looking into packaging and selling our two... more »

Last updated: Feb 8 2013

 

Openings are always hardest, and growing pains can be feisty. At which restaurants were you on opening staff?

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I was the opening sous chef at Graze here in Madison. Three weeks of consecutive 17 hour days. It was a really interesting process, from watching the construction to formulating the menu to hiring ... more »

Last updated: Dec 25 2012

 

Look back over the years to your various bosses, and how they've shaped you. Have any bosses changed your mind about your career or altered your perception of the industry? How?

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Yes, by leading by both good and bad examples. They've taught me to treat my product with respect, to keep pushing on an idea that may not work the first time, to not drink on the line, to treat my... more »

Last updated: Dec 25 2012

 

We've all had bosses from hell. It's OK to admit it. They can't hear you now. What three things did you learn from your worst boss?

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1. It's not appropriate to take out your personal frustrations on your line cooks. I've learned to separate my work and personal lives. I don't go in to work all pissed off at my line cooks because... more »

Last updated: Dec 25 2012