INTERVIEW CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

JL: What do you look for when you’re hiring somebody to work in one of your kitchens?

TL: Passion for food. I always say cook it like you want to eat it. Nothing worse than a cook that makes food from their head instead of their stomach.

JL: What does a dish have to be for you to put it on a menu?

TL: Seasonal (minus blueberries in the winter which is a must for pancakes), slightly unique, textured. I love crunchy and/or crispy which is why we use a lot of nuts, crunchy veggies, fried garlic etc – it’s funner for your mouth!

JL: What are your favorite aspects of running restaurants?

TL: Our team. Restaurant people are the funniest, cheekiest, down for a good time industry that I’ve come across. And you couple that with nice, helpful, hospitable and you have a great working environment. I do believe waiting tables for a few weeks will shake the “entitle-itis” right out of you.

JL: Who else in the restaurant world do you currently look to for inspiration, guidance or advice?

TL: Erik Oberholtzer (Tender Greens) for food ethos/integrity
David Chang (Momofuku) for incredible sauces and flavor profiles
[Yotam] Ottolenghi for simplicity of preparation
Danny Meyer for service and culture
Jamie Oliver for his work with children and nutrition