How did you become the chef at Blue Moon?
[My wife] Janine and I and our partner Donnie Swartz bought the Blue Moon Restaurant on Halloween 2006 and made it into the upscale, casual, eclectic-menued venue that it is.
Who has been your career mentor or inspiration?
Dorothy. "I think I can; I think I can."
What would you suggest first-time visitors to Blue Moon order and why?
What they typically enjoy, as that will satisfy them, until they become endeared to us and come back to be more adventurous.
How do you get inspiration for your menu?
We choose what is fresh locally and from the Bay, [ask ourselves] how we can prepare things that people have heard of and never tried or put a twist on them, and prepare foods that are always seasonally in vogue.
If you could cook for any one person—alive or not—who would it be and what would you serve them?
My dad. Chopped steak, fries, salad and Mom's chocolate cake.
Why should people who’ve never eaten at Blue Moon come to dine with you?
We put time and effort into the foods that we prepare. [We also serve] great drinks and wines like you would make for yourself at home. A friendly and knowledgeable service staff will give you "bend over backward service" and their best efforts, as we depend on our customers for a living.
