Category: You Are What You Eat

Name: Chad Hoffer

Occupation: Tournant at BLT Prime en route to BLT Market @ the (Ritz Carlton)

Borough: Manhattan

Relationship status: In Love [Bless. –Ed.]

What did you eat today?

Breakfast: nothing
Lunch: roasted pork loin and rice noodles in a cilantro pesto
Dinner: left-over steak from the restaurant
Late Night Snack: Whole Foods Mac and Cheese with some Amstel Light to top it off

What do you never eat?

There's nothing I won't ever eat. [I like you. –Ed.]

Complete this sentence: In my refrigerator, you can always find:

Beer - thats it, I dont have the time to cook at home, not that I dont want to, just no time.

What is your favorite kitchen item?

Knives

Where do you eat out most frequently?

Saigon Bakery (Bahn Mi Sandwiches) and Piola (for chillen at the bar and just having a good pizza)
AND at three in the morning Halal food on 53rd and 6th (best meal in town)

World ends tomorrow. What would you like for your last meal?

The tasting menu at Per Se.

Name: Tanya Wenman Steel

Occupation: Editor-in-Chief, Epicurious.com

Borough: Westchester, NY [The sixth borough? --Ed.]

Relationship status: Married with identical twin boys

What did you eat today?

Breakfast: Oatmeal with raisins, sunflower seeds and cinnamon and three caffe lattes; lunch: curried chicken salad on whole wheat wrap with mixed greens; afternoon snack: Kit Kat bar; dinner: vegetable dumplings, creamed spinach, strawberries and red grapes; late-night snack: big bowl of Ben & Jerry’s peanut butter cup ice cream.

What do you never eat?

Brussels sprouts [If you ever change your mind, which I’m sure you won’t, I recommend the fried Brussels sprouts with fish sauce vinaigrette at Momofuku Ssam. --Ed.]

Complete this sentence: In my refrigerator, you can always find:

All manner of chocolates and coffees, Portuguese muffins, gallons and gallons of organic milk, plus healthy snacks for the boys like yogurt, mini carrots, sugar snap peas, strawberries and red grapes.

What is your favorite kitchen item?

Without question, tongs.

Where do you eat out most frequently?

Nha Trang in Chinatown. I love their beef pho, spring rolls, soft-shall crab, and beef rolls.

World ends tomorrow. What would you like for your last meal?

At home with my family, eating a spread that would include barbecued flank steak, raw sashimi-grade tuna, creamy mashed potatoes, creamy spinach, crusty sourdough, chocolate layer cake, and several bottles of Clos des Papes Chateauneuf-du-Pape 2004.

Tanya's blog is the epilog, over at the shiny and new Epicurious.

Name: Donald Gray

Occupation: Teacher/Layabout

...aspiring writer, director, improviser....

Borough: Forsooklyn

Relationship status: I have a long-term girlfriend who's currently living on another continent. Hey, don't knock it till you've tried it.

What did you eat today?

Breakfast: Strong coffee with milk, a banana, almond butter on some Finn Crisps (I am addicted to those damn crackers! Thank you, Finland!)

Lunch: Tossed salad -- red and green leaf lettuce mixed with baby arugula, oven roasted beets and butternut squash, baked tofu, the usual veggie suspects, Annie's Goddess Dressing

Dinner: Take-out from Zaytoons on Smith Street in Brooklyn -- Chicken Shawarma platter with pilaf rice, some grilled vegetables, small green salad, hummus, and a freshly baked pita. The food at Zaytoons is delicious and the portions are positively Brobdingnagian. Definitely check this place out if you haven't already. There's one in Fort Greene too, I think.

What do you never eat??

I'm pretty adventurous when it comes to trying new foods, but, like most people, I generally just stick with what I like.

Things I am unlikely to eat again unless fooled: fish eyeballs, chicken legs feet [See comments. --Ed.], tripe, insects, and pretty much any food that falls under the "gristly" category.

One thing that seems to upset folks is my rabid distaste for celery. What can I tell you, people? Never liked it, never will.

Complete this sentence: In my refrigerator, you can always find:

Milk (for café au lait in the morning and, occasionally, Barry's Tea in the afternoon), various hot sauces, mayonnaise (stop hating!), Dijon mustard, a triangle of Parmigiano Reggiano, water, freshly ground almond butter, a tube of tomato paste, and a couple of bottles of Annie's salad dressings.

In the spring and summer you're also likely to find a 2 liter bottle of Ito En Tea's Tea (Green-White).

What is your favorite kitchen item?

This comes down to a tie between two old friends. First up is my Zyliss garlic press. I've had this little fella since my Chicago days. I'll admit that lately I'm much more likely to chop my garlic into minced mounds the size of softballs, but, hey, the Zyliss and I have a lot of history. Don't judge. Plus it's the only garlic press I've owned that has never been accidentally broken when manhandled by my meaty paws.

And yet the Zyliss, while a sentimental favorite, only manages a tie with my much beloved Melitta Perfect Brew (r) 1-Cup Filter Cone. It absolutely kills me that I'm not the first contributor to YAWYE to have chosen this little beauty. Say what you will about other methods, I am convinced that this simple plastic cone, with an unbleached Melitta filter, makes the best damn cup of Joe possible. [Thanks for the link. I've been looking for this guy. I like my little French press but I hate cleaning it. --Ed.]

Where do you eat out most frequently?

I don't have the money to eat at fancy places too often so I'll just give a shout-out to my old reliables in Brooklyn (with a few Manhattan exceptions).

Here's a list of some of the cheap joints I frequent; they're all pretty reasonably priced, though, for the most part, horribly untrendy: Heights Falafel (love their chicken shawarma salad), Zaytoons (see above), Iron Chef House (the freshest sushi near me; good spicy rolls), Clark's (for their spinach and feta omelet), Hanco's (fine Vietnamese sandwich shop; becoming a favorite of mine), Better Burger (they make a mean soyburger), Chickpea (for their crack-like chickplant sandwich), Kati Roll (tasty Indian wraps, though sometimes a little bit too greasy), The Original California Taqueria (from back in the days when little else was around...), Grimaldi's (when out of town friends or family visit. I guess if you're considered an institution some backlash is inevitable, but I still love their pies), Fatoosh (fish kabobs and that addictive, if nontraditional, muhammara) and, finally, The Atlantic Chip Shop (for their $8 Stilton Granny Smith & Walnut Salad; good eats!).

Sorry for going all low-rent and provincial on your ass.

[What, like I'm Jean-Georges Vongefreakingrichten? Come on, I live in Sunset Park. I'm still lower rent than many. --Ed.]

World ends tomorrow. What would you like for your last meal?

This question always throws me. There are so many different cuisines I love, so many different dishes. And the thought of imminent death generally puts the kibosh on my appetite. Still, I suppose I'd want to go out with a bang. Put me down for a Diamond Jim Brady style banquet. Maybe I'd get lucky and my stomach would burst mid-nosh.

Awesome. Visit Don over in his world, dogra.tv.

Name: Sarah Lookofsky

Occupation: The internets

Borough: Manhattan

Relationship status: Mr. Boyfriend in the house

What did you eat today?

So far, nothing – it is 8 am

What do you never eat?

Fried bits

Complete this sentence: In my refrigerator, you can always find:

Olives, fresh yeast (for what you ask, I know…)

What is your favorite kitchen item?

Fancy Italian espresso machine

Where do you eat out most frequently?

$4.50 Rice noodle soup w. vegetables at Nha Trang in Chinatown - at my desk… (that is at least away from home but not sure if it qualifies as “out”)

World ends tomorrow. What would you like for your last meal?

A VERY slow French 17 course meal with lots of little palate cleansers in between courses. I would invite my friends while all the evil people go to hell before us.

Name: Amy Yang

Occupation: I manage Luilei, a beauty and fragrance boutique

Borough: Brooklyn

Relationship status: Married

What did you eat today?

Espresso and a frittata made with left over linguine for breakfast, lentil soup for lunch and a duck salad with orange marmalade dressing for dinner and affogato for dessert.

What do you never eat?

I always try everything, especially if someone wants to share something with me. If, however, someone should offer me something I’d want to cuddle (puppy, panda, sloth, etc.) I’ll politely decline.

Complete this sentence: In my refrigerator, you can always find:

Milk, eggs, Parmesan, Tabasco, jam.

What is your favorite kitchen item?

My old fashioned rice maker with the metal top that wobbles up and down when the rice steams at full blast. My mother gave it to me when I went off to college. And it doesn’t just prepare rice. You can make an egg soufflé, oatmeal, soup, ramen, etc.

Where do you eat out most frequently?

Our takeout joints are Tamari, La Villa and Amin’s. When we entertain and I don’t want to cook I take our guests to Palo Santo. Palo Santo takes reservations, has great food, nice atmosphere, friendly staff and reasonable prices.

World ends tomorrow. What would you like for your last meal?

Oysters, roasted bone marrow, baguette, cheese, champagne, chocolate.

Luilei is my favorite slice-of-heaven shop in Brooklyn. It's pristine, but not in a Stepford way, and they carry hard to find fragrances and beauty products. You can tell it's a total labor of love. It's on Union St. and 5th Ave. in Park Slope. Go check out the Andy Tauer scents.

Name: Johanna Bauman

Occupation: Image Librarian and Landscape Historian

Borough: Brooklyn

Relationship status: Married

What did you eat today?

A large piece of home-made chocolate beet cake for breakfast, a container of yoghurt, a frozen burrito, and an oatmeal cookie for lunch, and a small bag of chips and Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups for dinner. (Not a proud day for someone who usually tries to eat healthier. Last night I did have a delicious and healthy dinner at the Candle Café, which consisted of an avocado salad with Seitan and cashew-crusted tofu served over greens with a butternut squash sauce.)

What do you never eat?

Beef, Pork, Chicken, Venison, Rabbit, Lamb (thought it always smells delicious), and Honey Buns you find in delis (the kind wrapped in plastic).

Complete this sentence: In my refrigerator, you can always find:

Beets or turnips from the CSA (Community Supported Agriculture group), eggs, cheese, and milk.

What is your favorite kitchen item?

My large eight-cup pyrex measuring cup that doubles as a mixing bowl. [We used to have one of these, but ours was made of plastic. I left it in the sink one morning where I let our drippy sink perform Chinese water torture on the overflowing measuring cup. When I came home that night, the plastic bowl had all of these stretch marks and hairline fractures in it. I promised La Doug I would get him a new one, but I never did. Actually, I owe him a lot of kitchen items -- I busted the La Brabantia garbage bin, a glass, and most recently, the top to the little salt cellar. I try to make up for it by feeding him often. But I think I better start the replacement campaign. --Ed.]

Where do you eat out most frequently?

Amorina on Vanderbilt Avenue in Prospect Heights because it's right across the street, and they make a mean pizza and tasty salads. Mostly I've been cooking at home a lot. In Charlottesville, VA, where I lived before moving to New York almost five years ago, I used to be addicted to a greasy spoon Mexican
restaurant called Guadalajara where I would always get the vegetarian special, I think it was #6. Anyway, it came with a chile relleno, cheese enchilada, and a tostaguac served with greasy rice and beans. The best thing was that the waiter would always say "hot plate" when he brought you the food. And you always ended up with a major food coma when the meal was over. I would eat there once or twice a week. I've never really developed the same type of addiction to a particular restaurant since.

World ends tomorrow. What would you like for your last meal?

Käse Spätzle, served with a beet salad, and some kind of greens sautéed in garlic and olive oil. Oh yeah, and probably a nice cut of lamb.

Name: Eugene Edele

Occupation: Private cook

Borough: Brookers

Relationship status: Bachelor

What did you eat today?

Jelly donut hole, bacon egg and cheese roll, turkey on a roll, penne with buffala mozz, Green and Black's Maya Gold

What do you never eat?

Greek food [Is it the yogurt? The lamb? The garlic? The sheep's cheese? The eggplant? What's not to love? --Ed.]

Complete this sentence: In my refrigerator, you can always find:

Sambal olek

What is your favorite kitchen item?

Tongs

Where do you eat out most frequently? Recently at the bodega across Nostrand

World ends tomorrow. What would you like for your last meal?

Green papaya salad, duck and fries, Coke and Phish food.

Name: Jinius

Occupation: Speechwriter/blogger

Borough: Manhattan

Relationship status: Newly single and ready to mingle. Ha.

What did you eat today?

I had the day off so I went to Cafe Mogador and had the eggs with harissa sauce, hummus, tabouleh, and two cups of coffee. I love anything spicy and I'm addicted to caffeine.

What do you never eat?

I'm actually not a big fan of eggs. But I like them moroccan style and drenched in harissa.

Complete this sentence: In my refrigerator, you can always find:

Red pepper hummus from Trader Joe's, champagne, and chocolate.

What is your favorite kitchen item?

The rabbit. (Wine opener of course)

Where do you eat out most frequently?
I'm a creature of habit and I go where the people are friendly. I love Cafe Mogador for brunch and Supper for, well, supper. I'm also a big fan of the Japanese noodle shop Minca in the East Village. I actually think they are better than Momofuku and there is never a wait.

World ends tomorrow. What would you like for your last meal?

I would eat all carbs. The pope stranglers dish from Supper, cha chang myun from a Korean noodle shop, the mac and cheese from the Half King, and a croissant from Balthazar bakery.

Name: Wei-Ann Hsueh (on the right)

Occupation: Medical Student

Borough: Brooklyn

Relationship status: Taken!

What did you eat today?

Leftover shanghai noodles from Tofu on 7th, Ben and Jerry’s mint chocolate cookies (I think that’s what its called…), and Perrier with lemon sorbet, yum.

What do you never eat?

I’m pretty good about eating everything except for my childhood anti-nostalgic foods. These include bittermelon, Japanese pumpkin, the orange squishy kind, and weird Chinese stuff like pigs blood.

Complete this sentence: In my refrigerator, you can always find:

Trader Joe’s hot and spicy mustard, sparkling water, goat cheese, garlic, organic eggs, ketchup, and mango lemonade.

What is your favorite kitchen item?

It would be two things: A Japanese ceramic knife. Cuts through everything! 2) Bialetti Italian espresso maker. I’m so sad that my old one is out of commission.

Where do you eat out most frequently?

I love trying new restaurants, and since I’m a newbie to NYC, it’s been a hayday of new places to eat! But in general, I usually stay around Park Slope - restaurants down 7th and 5th ave. My favorites on 5th would be Song, Café Moutarde, & Blue Ribbon Sushi. When I’m too busy (aka lazy), it’ll be 2nd Street Café or order in!

World ends tomorrow. What would you like for your last meal?

Fresh sushi from a fish market in Japan, as in wake up at 5 am, trek out to the fish market for the freshest fish ever! For dessert, any of their pretty little cakes so I’ll already be in heaven.

Name: Erin Gleeson

Occupation: Photographer, and I shoot mostly food. I’m working on a dessert cookbook now for Room 4 Dessert in SoHo.
R4D’s Choc n’ Awe

Borough: Manhattan, Upper West Side

Relationship status: Attached

What did you eat today?

For breakfast I had these leftover kale, egg and swiss cheese soufflés that I made for dinner the other night. This afternoon I was shooting desserts at R4D and I sampled several of them…lime gelato with salt, hazelnut mousse and a tart citrussy foam. [What a job perk! --Ed.] This evening I had some leftover Challah from a bread making class my friend and I took this week. (I sprinkled the Challah with black sesame seeds, which I’ve recently discovered and put on everything!) I then roasted some eggplant and whole garlic cloves and mixed them with portabella mushrooms & onions that I sautéed in olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Homemade chocolate chip cookies for dessert (recipe from epicurious.com).

What do you never eat?

Meat. I shoot a lot of dinners at the James Beard House, and I have never questioned my vegetarianism so much as there! I like the way it smells and looks, but I still can’t do it. I was raised vegan by hippie parents in an apple orchard in Northern California. I do eat dairy now, though. [Though I've been around plenty of hippies and hippie children, I've never met anyone who was raised vegan. I don't know why I'm so surprised to meet a semi-vegan who's serious about food. Just reveals my prejudices, I guess. --Ed.]

Complete this sentence: In my refrigerator, you can always find:

kale, free range eggs, chevre, soy milk, sundried tomatoes from the Fairway deli, morning star sausage links, dark chocolate.

What is your favorite kitchen item?

My one-cup-at-a-time coffee dripper

Where do you eat out most frequently?

I get lunch several days a week from a health food store deli called Frontier on 21st and 3rd Ave in Manhattan. Occasionally they make these giant baked acorn squashes that are stuffed with a veggie/tofu salad. It’s amazing with their papaya poppy seed dressing all over it. Only $3.99! You can get 2 meals out of it (and I’m a big eater!)

World ends tomorrow. What would you like for your last meal?

Whole wheat toast with butter, a nice chevre with sliced pears, triple crème brie with a baguette, Spicy Thai basil Drunken noodles, Pinot Noir, and Mexican wedding cookies.

Check out some of Erin's photography at her website.