Chef de Cuisine at DANIEL

My mom let me figure out on my own that a strong effort was the only way I was ever going to have any real success. It wasn't until I started cooking that I understood the full force of my mother's advice. I could literally out effort the people around me and that would provide me the opportunity to learn more and gain greater responsibility. I always tell people that cooking is not necessarily difficult work, but it is hard work.

The Spotted Pig will always be my most formidable experience in restaurant kitchens. The Spotted Pig was where I fell in love with comfort food. Before taking the line cook position at The Spotted Pig, I always assumed I would go the way of French fine-dining. I thought that I needed to cook precious food and plate with tweezers and make my way through a brigade of 30 chefs putting out 15 tiny plates for each individual diner, until I accepted the position there. I knew I wanted to cook food that people can and will come back for. I wanted the satisfaction of having regulars who can't go without that one dish for too long. It was at The Spotted Pig where I learned that comfortable casual dining was a legitimate and noble pursuit.