Jason, what is the dish that:

  1. inspired your love of food:

    I was raised in a Greek-American family. A lot of our family traditions directly involve food. My parents owned a restaurant up until I was 6 years old. Many of my first memories were in that restaurant. As I grew older my Grandmother took me out to nice restaurants and made me familiar with the phenomenon known as brunch. On a trip to Berkeley, CA she insisted that we go to Chez Panisse. I had a goat cheese pizza and still remember the texture of the cheese and how different it was from everything I knew. I was 9 years old. Every trip back to California involved a mandatory stop at the famed Berkeley restaurant.

  2. is your signature:

    Spanakopita. My family has a recipe for Greek Spinach Pie that has been passed down since they moved to America almost 100 years ago. It is the kind of dish that requires “enough olive oil to make it wet” and as “many eggs as it will hold.” There is no recipe written down. Every time I make it requires resourcing the ingredients and adapting the recipe to be consistent with the final product. The only thing I do differently is use leeks instead of yellow onions, I like the flavor and texture they provide.

  3. you cook on your night off:

    Something cooked low and slow. I love the meticulous layering of braising meat or cooking beans. The enjoy the zen atmosphere in my kitchen; chopping vegetables, boiling beans, searing meat and putting it all together in the afternoon and forgetting about for an hour or so. By the time the dish is done, your kitchen is clean and you just have to slap it into a bowl. There is no coordinating or last minute rushing. After you feel rewarded for a job well done and a little sleepy.

Can we have an extra helping?

  • What would be your last supper?

    Spit Roasted Lamb. There is nothing as succulent as a slow roasted marinated lamb. I want my last supper to last a while.

  • What is the best meal you have ever had?

    The best dining experience I had was at Babbo in NYC. I had met the maître’d a few weeks prior and he offered us the option of “sending food out to us until he thought we had had enough and a glass of wine paired with every course.” I must have tried half the menu that night. Everything was on point and the Black Crowes (my favorite band) were playing in the background. The best meal I had was on a remote island in Croatia, it is too long of a story to tell.

  • Tell me your foolproof recipe for seduction?

    I find raw foods to be very seductive and primal; oysters, tartar, tuna, sashimi, etc. I think because society’s views on raw foods mirrors it views on sex; you are taking a risk but it is so good.

  • What is your idea of comfort food?

    YiaYia’s Spaghetti. My grandmother’s Greek-American “Bolognese sauce” flavored with cinnamon and cloves. You have to toss the pasta in browned butter before serving. My brother and I make it for each other to remember our YiaYia.

  • Fill in the blanks: If I go to [blank], I must have the [blank].

    If I go to S’agapo, I must have the Santorini Fava Salad. S’agapo is a Greek restaurant in Astoria, Queens. They make a traditional “fava” salad, which is a puree of yellow split peas (not fava beans), bathed in olive oil and topped with red onions, fresh parsley and dill.

  • What is your favorite restaurant that people should know about?

    Barbone an Italian restaurant on Ave B between 11th and 12th St in Manhattan. Alberto, the owner, is truly a genius. He is not only in the kitchen but is also the maître’d and the Sommeleir. He is the consummate host; a lot of people could learn from him.

  • What is your favorite restaurant that people should know about?

    Barbone an Italian restaurant on Ave B between 11th and 12th St in Manhattan. Alberto, the owner, is truly a genius. He is not only in the kitchen but is also the maître’d and the Sommeleir. He is the consummate host; a lot of people could learn from him.

  • What one new ingredient should I add to my pantry and how should I use it?

    Aleppo pepper. It is a crushed red pepper from Turkey or Syria. It is milder than conventional crushed red pepper and is a little more savory than sweet paprika. I use it in addition to salt and pepper when cooking many dishes.

  • What are you making tomorrow night for dinner?

    Baked Gigante Beans. They are large white beans baked in a lot of olive oil with a lot of onions. You will need a lot of flakey white bread for this dinner.

Jason, can you share a recipe for one of these dishes?

Baked Gigante Beans—Butter Beans baked with Celery, Onions & Tomatoes

Soak 1 lb gigante beans over night. Prepare a cheese cloth with 1/2 onion, celery heart leaves, 1 bay leaf, 4 parsley stems and 4 black peppercorns. Place beans and bouquet garnis into a large pot with water. Cook over medium-high heat for about 30 min. Add salt to taste and cook until tender (about 15-20 min).

In a separate pan, heat 1 1/2 cups of olive oil over medium heat. Add 3 medium onions (sliced lengthwise) and 2 celery stalks (finely sliced) and cook for 5 minutes. Add 1 cup of chopped tomatoes, 1/4 cup parsley (chopped), aleppo pepper, salt and black pepper. Cook for 10 more minutes.

Drain beans and transfer to a shallow earthen baking dish. Pour stewed vegetables over beans and cook in a preheated 400°F oven. Stir once after 10 minutes. Cook for 45 minutes. Salt & pepper to taste.