Your restaurant doesn't have a menu. How do you decide what to serve?
My rule of thumb: I'm gonna make something that I think is the best for you to have. I come out, talk to you, maybe think to myself, "This table needs a little spicy," and then I start bringing out small courses.
So your conversations guide each meal?
I have standard dishes that I try to prepare on a given night, but yes, those dishes can vary from table to table or even person to person, based on what they tell me. I always try to push my limit and have my customers try something they haven't tried before.
How many courses do you prepare?
Normally five courses. Something with seafood, a little chicken, a beef dish, salad, and an appetizer.
What if a customer doesn't like what you're making?
A customer might say, "I am allergic to prawns," or "I don't like prawns," or "I don't eat prawns." I don't argue with the first statement. With the second, I will assume you have had a bad experience and cook you something delicious with prawns, and with the third, I will try to judge how open minded you are. Will you push the plate away if I serve you prawns, or will you try them and then push the plate away? I am seldom wrong with what I cook. In fact, I can't remember the last time I went wrong.
Interview by Cienna Madrid