What equipment should be in every kitchen?
The tiny GE fryers sold at Wal-Mart are the best. Fill them with extra-virgin olive oil and it’s the ultimate luxury, since anything fried in olive oil comes out perfect, no matter what all the textbooks say. Nonstick pans are also great. We love to stuff squash blossoms and then sauté them in a nonstick pan until they’re crispy on one side. If you could design one piece of serving equipment, what would it be? I’d love it if someone would make really nice concave wooden plates to serve steaks on or a wooden bowl to serve braises in. What’s the best restaurant dish you ate in 2005? I just had the crispy pork belly and pickled watermelon from Fatty Crab [in New York City]. I loved it. I wasn’t expecting it to be that good, but it’s absolutely brilliant. It’s a cool combination of everything that’s great about food. What’s your favorite sushi place? I love Jewel Bako [in New York City]. Sushi is such a sacred thing to me, and I think it varies so much at each restaurant. My favorite local
