MY FOOD STYLE IS? Comfort. I cook because I love it. It’s my passion. I CAN’T COOK WITHOUT? Garlic CHEF I MOST ADMIRE? Julia Child and Wolfgang Puck. IN MY KITCHEN I CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT? My scimitar knife. It’s my go-to and can cut or slice anything. WHO I WOULD LOVE TO COOK FOR? Chef Lidia Bastianich. She’s done it all and I’d love to see what she thinks of my food. MY DREAM DINNER GUEST? Mario Batali. My first restaurant was a small Italian bistro and I know he’d love my style. Sergio Rocco Tandoori Chef 2 6 Highland Place Maplewood, NJ tandoorichef2.com 973-763-6770 MY FOOD STYLE IS? A fusion of French, Caribbean and American cuisine. MY FOOD PHILOSOPHY IS? Everything has to be freshly made. We marinate our meat, make our own sauces and artfully plate the food to be appealing. I've heard it said that we "eat with our eyes." I CAN’T COOK WITHOUT? Fresh herbs. WHY I'M A CHEF? I taught French at Arts High School in Newark for 31 years but always loved to cook, catering on the side and even managing the restaurant for six years before I retired from teaching. FAVORITE MOMENTS IN THE KITCHEN? When no one is here and I'm cooking by myself experimenting with new dishes. MY DREAM DINNER GUEST? My grandmother. She's been gone for years but she taught me how to cook. I'd make her bread pudding using her recipe. Yanick Ranieri Papillon 25 Restaurant & Martini Bar 25 Valley Street South Orange, NJ papillon25.com 973-761-5299 Jayesh Naik Tandoori Chef 2 6 Highland Place Maplewood, NJ tandoorichef2.com 973-763-6770 MY FOOD STYLE IS? North Indian with the freshest ingredients. MY FOOD PHILOSOPHY IS? Cooking healthy while maintaining a good balance of taste. I CAN’T COOK WITHOUT? Whole spices like turmeric, cumin, curry and more. FAVORITE INGREDIENT? I love black lentils and cook them with kidney beans, turmeric, cumin, tomato, Indian whole spices and ghee. WHY I'M A CHEF? Growing up in India, my mother taught me how to cook and I decided at 14 years old that I wanted to be a chef. The first dish I made was chicken biryani. MY DREAM DINNER GUEST? Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. I'm a fitness freak and admire his wrestling career. Since he works so hard to stay healthy, I'd make him chicken tikka masala, garlic naan and finish it off with kulfi (Indian ice cream).