I worked for the Office of Management and Budget in the White House, on nuclear energy policy. But I decided it would be much more fun to have a specialty food store, so I left Washington D.C. and moved to the Hamptons. And how glad I am that I did!

I love Alton Brown's show 'Good Eats,' about the chemistry of food. It's really thoughtful.

People have more fun if they don't eat so much they have to be taken home in an ambulance.

I'm really a scientist. I follow recipes exactly - until I decide not to. And then I'll follow something else exactly. I may decide I could turn this peach tart into a plum tart, but if I'm following a recipe, I follow it exactly.

I always like to have flowers on the table. I think they make it look special.

I always have music. I love it to be very upbeat. When you're having drinks, I like something like Cesaria Evora. During dinner, I like the much more traditional - old Frank Sinatra and things like that.

I don't like sitting at a table that's too large, where everyone is too far apart. That's a party killer.