I come from a family that loves to eat, not exercise. Being fat made even walking hard.

Pasta is the one food I can't live without. It's the food I eat to fuel my running.

The general manager is kind of like the step into darkness when you reach the top of the league. As GM, you're responsible for everything, including the maitre d's and the sommeliers - all these people who have their own agendas. But you probably make less than the maitre d' and have a lot more work and a lot more headaches.

Restaurant Man is kind of the story, an unabridged story of what happened in my life, the good bad and ugly. Some people might glean some life lessons. It is honest, not written as a press release.

You can enjoy a $15 bottle of wine as much as you can enjoy a $100 bottle of wine.

As a restaurateur, my palate is one of my most important tools.

Your pantry is your first line of defense against food-borne illness and things like high blood pressure and cholesterol.