R5 Interview with Chef Mike Ballew of Comfort Restaurant in Hastings-on-Hudson, NY

Comfort

583 Warburton Ave
Hastings-on-Hudson
(914) 231-7711
comfortrestaurant.net

Dish I Do Best… Wild king salmon encrusted in potatoes with lemon-caper sauce.
Drink of Choice… I have a weakness for Pepsi.
Favorite Food… Seafood. I like almost anything from the ocean.
If Not a Chef, I’d Be… a high school teacher. I think that’s the age you can really make a difference.
Favorite Kitchen Utensil… Tough question, but I’d have to go with my handheld blender. It allows me to do many things quickly.
Last Book Read… Common Sense by Thomas Paine.
I Never Eat… pickles! My grandmother used to can pickles when I was young and stink our house up for days.
Favorite Place to Dine Out… Anywhere on City Island.
I Hate It When a Diner at My Restaurant… compares prices from another place or insists they can make a dish cheaper at home.
I Never Cook with… disdain! It’s all about the passion.
Least Favorite Fish… Tilapia.
Show I’d Like to Be on… Hell’s Kitchen. I love Gordon Ramsay. You never know what he will say or do next.
Favorite Late-Night Snack… Eggs over easy. I have two every night before bed.
Favorite Pain Reliever… Advil.
When I Meet People at a Party and I Tell Them I’m a Chef, They Always… reveal that they have an inner desire to be a chef.
My Favorite Website… ESPN. I love sports!
When Chefs Get Together, They Usually… drink way too much!
My Favorite Music Group Is… Lettuce. What an amazing band.
Most Famous Person I Ever Cooked for… Paul Simon.

photo by Allison Dulman

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