The first time I met him in person I was speechless for a few moments. That is something that doesn’t happen very often. I was thrilled a few years later when I was invited to cook a dinner for the ‘Tenth Anniversary of Food Arts Magazine” at The Plaza Hotel in NYC with him as one of the other chefs. Also cooking that night included Daniel Boulud, Nobu, Jasper White and the great Southern chef Elizabeth Terry. I remember him as if only yesterday walking into the kitchen with matching Pekingese on long leashes that danced out in front of him. He walked straight over to me as he eyed the large hearts of palm we’d brought along with for my dish. He picked one up and smiled saying, ‘hefty aren’t they?” I was like a little kid happy.
Here is my Treasure Books series video on his first cookbook. Which I still treasure deeply.