Lidia Bastianich

It's by far the ingredients. Although we do have great artichokes now here in the U.S., I must say that I've never tasted anything like the traditional Roman artichoke. It's the land. Italy has always had such a great selection of fresh produce, meat and other products. But America is getting better and better everyday. In fact, there are some products that we use in the restaurants that our Italian chefs claim are actually even better and more flavorful than what you find in Italy.

I'm certainly not happy about conflict in other parts of the world. But I enjoy travel and learning about new cultures, and food is such an important part of understanding foreign cultures.

The first diishes that were created at Buonavia, the restaurant I opened in Forest Hills, NY were Italian American since that's what we thought the customers were hoping to eat. However, I was always going through the dining room, asking the customers to taste some of the traditional dishes from Istria--where I came from. Now at our restaurants, we serve traditional Italian food, presented in a simple and innovative way. The presentation is by far simpler than in the past.

I have always told all of my customers and viewers that 50% of a dish is a result of its ingredients. Technique is obviously important (as is practice) but you can create so many wonderful dishes by making sure that your products are authentic and fresh.

I think that all American female chefs who have been classically trained have as much of a chance in the culinary world as the ones who prepare ethnic foods. It's all about professionalism, passion, and determination about what you do.

I remember making gnocchi with my grandmother; it's the most vivid memory that I have. And it was by my far my favorite thing to do and favorite thing to eat.

I actually have Executive Chefs at all of the restaurants who plan the menus, but we are always meeting, discussing and tasting new dishes. I love being a mentor to young people, and I'm so luck to have such talented ones working for me.

Italians love innards; in Sicily they eat milza or spleen sandwiches. In Rome, they eat oxtail and pajata which is beef or veal intestine often served with rigatoni. In Tuscany, lampredotto and tripe are favorites. We try to serve some of these dishes at Felidia, but it's still hard for Americans to fall in love with them.

I love Thai food. It's spicy and flavorful and so different from my native cuisine. If I go out to dinner, I go for Thai.

Caprese salad is always a favorite with tomatoes and buffalo mozzarella. I love rice salads in the summer too. A whole grilled branzino or sea bass is perfect for a main course since it's always so fresh and light. For dessert, I love white peach, blueberry and Prosecco soup.

One of my favorite recent experiences was in Piedmont at Ciau del Tornavento with Chef Mauriglio. Its in Treiso just above Neive. San Marco in Cannelli is also doing interesting things. The chef is Mariuccia.

Not over working it is at the base of this simplistic dish but with it comes the difficulty of treating each ingredient properly. You can't over cook the clams, and they need to be the freshest possible. The oil needs to be at its best, and you can't overheat it. And it's very important that you don't burn the garlic. To keep it all juicy, do not underestimate the cooking pasta water. Add a little bit to the mix.

I cook at home all the time and I enjoy it. It's not work for me. When I have my family around me and they enjoy the food, I cook. cooking is not really work for me unless I get in the kitchen with a full restaurant outside waiting.

Some of my most memorable egg dishes (beyond frittatas and especially the frittata with the foraged wild asparagus which I still go back every year to Italy to experience). I'd like to share with you one of my favorites--that my grandmother used to make for me--was fried potatoes with an egg dropped in the middle of them. It's on page 279 in Lidia's Italian American Kitchen. Or I love my "uovo al purgatorio" which you can access on my website, www.lidiasitaly.com under the recipe/appetizer section.

Yes, I feel that the chef needs to be truly involved in the development and design of a kitchen with the architects. Their sense of function and space needs to be guided by the residing chef and the food that he/she cooks.