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Q&A With: Restaurateur, Author Joe Bastianich

The MasterChef judge and famed restaurateur is now a published author.

May 16, 2012

Renowned restaurateur and vineyard owner Joe Bastianich has a lot to celebrate. His role as a judge on MasterChef, keeping up a healthy appearance after a big 2008 weight loss, and his obvious success in the restaurant business, especially with partner Mario Batali, are only a few of Bastianich’s accomplishments. He can now add author to his list of accolades, chronicling his upbringing in the newly-published Restaurant Man. Here, Bastiniach discusses his family's influence, the difference between LA and New York restaurant scenes, and his future plans.

What is the biggest lesson you learned from your parents?
JOE BASTIANICH: I learned, from an emotional stance, the importance of the sense of family. I learned a work ethic from them: that no one gives you anything in this world, and [that] you have to go out and fight and work for what you want. To be proud of your heritage, to be proud and celebrate where you come from and who you are.

What would your mom cook for you when you were little?
JB: She still does cook for me! She makes crab risotto and roasted chicken and potatoes. And she makes orecchiette with broccoli broth and sausage. And she makes apple strudel.

What would you say is the hardest part of opening a restaurant?
JB: Everything. It’s a very difficult thing to do, and I think that the hardest part is trying to understand the complexity and magnitude of what it takes to open a great restaurant. I think people don’t really get it sometimes. It seems easy, but it’s not.

What do you think of the show that you judge, MasterChef?
JB: It’s the greatest food competition in the world. The process of tasting six thousand people’s food and bringing it down to one, the best home cook in America, is an amazing concept. It’s an amazing journey. The people are incredible, the food is incredible, the whole thing is amazing.

You have restaurants in both Los Angeles and New York. What is the difference between the dining scenes in each city?
JB: I think the restaurant experiences in each city represent or embody the complete environment of the city. For me, eating in an LA restaurant means great local produce, something from the sea, a warm night, a warm breeze or a sunny afternoon. The smell of flowering orange trees, all those things that are so very Los Angeles—when they come together in the dining experience, it’s magic.

I think in New York, it’s a night with traffic and black limousines all over the place, and a lit skyline under a haze of clouds with a slow drizzle, and people going off to the theater and art openings. And the sheer density and excitement and energy of the city, and when you enter a New York dining room it’s just this pop of pure rush with energy and magic. I think that restaurants in both cities can come to embody the energy and the aesthetic of the cities themselves.

What’s the next city you’re going to tackle?
JB: We’re opening up Eataly in Chicago. Hopefully, there may be a Mozza coming to San Diego. We just opened up Lupa in Hong Kong and we have our steakhouse, Carnevino, opening up in Hong Kong in August.

—anna ben yehuda
PHOTOGRAPHY BY CASS BIRD

The Ultimate Summer Read: Crabgrass Crucible

Summer-appropriate book is perfect for LA residents, Earth advocates, or both.

May 16, 2012

It’s no secret that Southern California has a large population of environmentalists and eco-friendly residents who want to preserve its scenic setting. A new book by Christopher C. Sellers called Crabgrass Crucible: Suburban Nature & the Rise of Environmentalism in Twentieth-Century America explores where the love of the land all began, taking a specific look at LA and New York City.

Speaking to the idea that the environmental movement started with suburbanites, Sellers’ tome really reflects the sprawling suburb that is LA. The book is both informative and relaxing to read—perfect as you soak up a slice of California’s environment at the beach. University of North Carolina Press, June 18; Pre-order available at BarnesandNoble.com, $35.76

—Michelle Ward

James Franco 'Rebel' Exhibit Makes Debut

Multimedia exhibit pays tribute to iconic Rebel Without a Cause film.

May 15, 2012

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May 12, 2012
MOCA Los Angeles

James Franco

James Franco adds MOCA's "Rebel" exhibit to his list of artistic accomplishments. The exhibition was feted with a celebrity-studded soiree on May 12, and will be open to the public from May 15-June 23.