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Kenneth Oringer earned a degree in hotel and restaurant management from Bryant College, in Smithfield, RI, in 1987. Two years later he graduated from the Culinary Institute of America, in Hyde Park, NY. Kenneth's various positions have included extern with David Burke at the The River Cafe in New York City, Sous Chef at Boston's Le Marquis de Lafayette, Chef de Cuisine at San Francisco's Silks, as well as owner of Terra, a Mediterranean trattoria that he opened in Greenwich, CT, in 1991. Kenneth just recently opened Clio (June 10, 1997) in The Eliot Hotel.

What were some of the factors that led to your becoming a chef?

I've known ever since I was a kid that I would one day become a chef. I was brought up outside New York City, and my parents would often bring me to Little Italy and Chinatown. They would also let me experiment in the kitchen. I just fell in love with food. I probably knew from when I was about six years old.

Who has been the most significant influence on your cooking style?

I would have to say that there are a few: David Burke, Jean-George Vongerichten, Joel Robuchon, Jacques Pepin...

Can you tell me a little bit about the concept and the menu that you've come up with for Clio?

The concept is a contemporary French menu. We offer comfortable, sophisticated, non-intimidating cuisine that is cutting edge and true to its roots. I use a lot of spices, as I've cooked in Asia and have brought back my experiences. I guess you could say that we give a lightened-up Asian twist to our Contemporary French cuisine.

I noticed that you've put together a Vegetable & Spice menu. Do you have a particular affection for working with vegetables?

I worked in San Francisco for four years, and over there it's sort of like being a kid in a candy store, in that you start working around the vegetables instead of the proteins. I've stuck with it, and it feels natural now. I often find myself thinking about the vegetable accompaniments first when coming up with a new dish.

I realize that Clio has only been open for a few weeks, but are you pleased with how things have been going thus far?

The restaurant has been even busier than we anticipated. We've been booked almost every night. A lot of chefs from around Boston have also been coming around. I'd have to say that I am definitely pleased, as we've been doing very, very well.

In what ways is working in a hotel restaurant, as you are now and when you were at the Madarin Oriental in San Francisco, different from your other restaurant experiences?

This is not a typical hotel restaurant. I actually have a partnership with the hotel, so I run the restaurant independently. Being in the hotel, though, we do have a great customer base made up of a chic European clientele. This is, of course, in addition to the people of Boston. I basically have an independent restaurant with the added advantage of potential customers staying right above the restaurant.

What restaurants do you frequent when you go out to eat in Boston?

I'd have to say that Café Louis is definitely one of my favorites. I also like Ginza for sushi, Penang for Malaysian, and East Ocean City for Chinese.