This week we asked a few questions of Larkin Grisanti, chef at Frank Grisanti’s & Bol a Pasta restaurants.

First cooking job: When my father opened Café Grisanti in 1984 we had a maître d’ named Fernando. He taught me how to make cherries jubilee, orange crepes & flaming coffee, all tableside. I was 11.

Photo by Mike Maple

Larkin Grisanti in the kitchen with his father Frank Grisanti.

Best original dish: Salmon Bruno. It’s a brown sugar crusted salmon, topped with goat cheese and fresh sautéed spinach. The warm butter from the spinach melts the goat cheese and the brown sugar to create a fabulous sauce. It must go back to my tableside dessert cooking.

Worst original dish: This was an easy question. No cook likes to talk about this topic, but it happens. My worst dish was sliced beef parmesan over angel hair pasta — it was a complete disaster. I will end by saying it was a long time ago.

First food you remember eating: The first item that popped into my head was my mother Ellen’s American chop suey. She is from Boston and I believe it is very popular up north. I have never seen it served in the south. I still ask her to make it today.

Your favorite meal: I have told this to so many people that there is now way to hide it: Crunchy peanut butter with marshmallow cream, Cheetos and a cold ginger ale.

Favorite junk food: Oreos are my downfall. My wife Kimberly and I try very hard to eat organic, so recently she has been buying the Paul Newman mint-flavored cookies; they are very good.

Favorite ethnic food: Mexican. My family loves tacos & black beans with rice. It has become our Monday night family meal.

What do you cook at home? I truly love our Monday Mexican night. We all participate and have a great time. It just feels good to spend a night around the table.

The most ambitious or challenging meal you’ve cooked: A wine dinner for George Bryan at Old Waverly Country Club. It was not the most detailed, but I was very honored and I was working in a kitchen I wasn’t used to. It went over great.

Best place in town to eat, besides your restaurant: I really enjoy Interim. I think the dining room is great with the open kitchen, there’s a great wine list, and the food has always been great.

If you weren’t a chef, what would you want to be? I’m a NASCAR freak, so I would have to say I would love to be involved with that sport in some capacity.

—Jennifer Biggs: 529-5223