Charcoal or gas. Both give excellent results, so choose the one that best suits your style of cooking.

I don't like to dump the dressing on top of the greens. Instead, I pour it against the side of the bowl - using only enough to glaze the leaves - then toss.

Nothing goes perfectly, especially when you're opening a restaurant.

Grilling outside with my parents at the Jersey shore. We would grill lobster and corn in the summer.

I love the culture of grilling. It creates an atmosphere that is festive but casual.

I was hired as a sous-chef at a restaurant on the Upper East Side. The chef liked to drink - some mornings we would find him sleeping. Two weeks after its opening, I became the chef. I was 20 years old, and way over my head. I had to hire the cooks and do the menus.

Lime juice makes things taste fresher. I use it for drinks, salsas, relishes, soups, and sauces. You want some give to your limes - firmness means the inside is dry - and they'll stay softer longer if you don't refrigerate them.