(continued)

Jeremy
I know that you always use American food, but what are some American techniques? It seems that everyone always uses French techniques...

larry forgione
I don't think cooking techniques have a national origin -- sauteeing is sauteeing in any language. Something that's thought of as very American, though, is cooking on grills and certainly the true barbeque and, something like cedar planking, which traces back to native Americans, but also has great histories in Scandinavian countries. For a technique, anyone can make an argument for where it came from.

Shanna Kamin
Where did you study cooking? Was it mainly a love from your upbringing, or did you go somewhere like the CIA to hone your skills?

larry forgione
CIA.

M
(AUTOMATED MESSAGE)...Has joined the chat...

ken
(AUTOMATED MESSAGE)...Has joined the chat...

ken
steak house will be a big hit, especially w/ Europeans who love American steak houses

larry forgione
I hope the restaurant will be a big hit.

Jeremy
Did you always plan on becoming a chef?

larry forgione
While I was growing up I didn't think that I'd be a chef, but I did start cooking in a restaurant when I was 19. I was going to school thinking I was going to be a teacher, and due to an illness I had to sit out a semester and I worked with a cousin who had a catering business. After that semester, I then decided to sit out another semester, and I enjoyed the whole thing so much that I decided to go to the Culinary Institute.

Jeremy
How exactly did you meet James Beard? What was the most important thing he taught you? What's your favorite recipe of his?

larry forgione
When I realized that I wanted to focus on American cooking, I knew he was the best person to talk to, but I couldn't figure out how to meet him. I met this man who owned a restaurant called Le Plaisir who suggested I look him up in the phone book, and so I did. He was interested in what I was doing, and I started bringing stuff to him, and he came to the River Cafe, where I was cooking. When An American Place first opened in 1983, Jim ate there at least once a week.

larry forgione
My favorite James Beard recipe? I would think the one that stands out is the creamy hash browns -- Jim Beard's creamy hash browns...I think it shows a great simplicity that Beard believed existed in food, wonderful brown potatoes with a little onion, crunchy bits of potatoes with a little bit of heavy cream to smooth it out give it the extra softness...it's something we've been doing on many menus at the restaurant and it just seems to be a big winner. And probably the other one, probably the most important, is the shortcake, the berry shortcake which was given to me by Jim and hadn't been published. It was his favorite recipe, his mom's recipe for shortcake, and again the simplicity, a fresh, really delicious biscuit, with lightly whipped cream, great berries and the cover put back on -- it's so warming and so American. So many times we've served that dish and had people say it reminds them of the country or something their mom or grandmother made -- it just seems so important to people.

ken
Larry are you scheduled to cook at the Beard house on any upcoming date?

larry forgione
I'm not scheduled to cook at the Beard House any time soon, but we're participating in the James Beard sponsored event at the Winter Garden, where the new restaurant is, on the weekend of May 9th

Shanna Kamin
I always look forward to that as a chance to sample foods from restaurants around the cities. Will you be highlighting dishes from AP or the Grill room, or both?

William Karlin
(AUTOMATED MESSAGE)...Has joined the chat...

Paul Coyle
So your new restaurant is primarily going to be a meat-oriented kind of place. What trends are you watching that you might want to incorporate into a future restaurant?

larry forgione
On trends, The Grill Room will probably serve about 50% seafood, so we're considering that not only is there a big interest in meat, but we're balancing it with fish. When people started talking about a decline in meat eating, we never saw it at An American Place -- and with this new place, with the name people might see it as a steak house, but it's as much a seafood house as a steak house.

Jeremy
Other than American cuisine, what kind of food do you enjoy preparing?

larry forgione
Occasionally, I make curries at home. I like full-flavored, somewhat spicy food. When I'm at home I generally cook very simply because it's more important for me to focus on being with the family and doing something together. So many times we'll just have...like on Sunday my wife and youngest son made re-stuffed baked potatoes and grilled some steaks, and we also had some spicy sauteed vegetables and a salad -- and we put the food time and spent that time together as a family. Everyone pitches in as we're cooking, so we can spend that time together as well.

ken
the family unit and meal preparation = a great combo

Paul Coyle
You've got four children. Think any of them might want to follow in your culinary footsteps?

larry forgione
As corny as it sounds, it would be up to my kids if they wanted to. My oldest son, Mark, and my next son, Brian, have both shown good cooking abilities, but there's no pressure in our home to go into the business. Whatever they want to do, they'll be supported, or endorsed, in.

Jeremy
What is your favorite restaurant in New York? In London? In Paris?

larry forgione
As for a favorite restaurant, like with the favorite meal, I don't have one in particular.

Guest
Larry- do you use the internet much? if so, what kind of sites do you go to? Do you think American Spoon Foods or your new restaurant will advertise or do transactions on the web?

larry forgione
I don't use the internet much.

larry forgione
It was great chatting with everybody, and I look forward to hopefully seeing everyone down at the restaurant in May -- Thanks!

Jeremy
Well, our time is up. I would like to thank Larry and all of our "chatters" for coming tonight. Our next chat will be with Sheila Lukins at 9 p.m. EST on Tuesday May 13th.

Jeremy
Now it's time to find out who the three winners of the signed copies of Larry's cookbook, An American Place, are...

Jeremy
The winners are -- ken, M, and Shanna Kamin. Congratulations! We will be contacting you by email.

Joshua Mack
I was hoping to win. Drat, I'll have to wait till next month.

Shanna Kamin
Fabulous! I'm thrilled! I'm also really looking forward to the new place!

Jeremy
Goodnight everyone. Thanks for coming to the chat. See you next month.

Shanna Kamin
Thank you very much for hosting it!