lechef

Lechef is a furniture designer and food blogger living in New York City. He also refers to himself as an amateur chef, but with the sophisticated flourishes and novel concepts he works into his recipes (like Sambuca Seared Scallops with Shiitake Truffle Cream and his contest-winning Zesty Herbed Chicken Broth), he could easily pass for the real deal. There's seemingly nothing lechef won't try in the name of culinary experience -- sautéing junebugs from his own porch screen, cracking open sea urchin on a beach in Brazil or schlepping a pig's head in his backpack through Central Park (he was trekking to a friend's house to make a pig's head torchon). And yes, in his profile picture he's wearing a hat made of raw meat -- London broil, to be exact. See lechef's profile and fan him here. And read more about his wild food experiences and culinary philosophy in his winner's Q&A.

Read lechef's profile Q&A below:

• What is the strangest food you have ever eaten?
  Lots of strange food. Fresh sauteed junebugs (from our porch screen) comes to mind. Roasted Scorpion in Thailand.
• What do you cook when home alone?
  Pasta or seafood. Or both.
• Your most treasured kitchen possession:
  My 6 inch Kyocera ceramic chef's knife. It doesn't rust on the boat.
• Your ideal meal:
  I am a sucker for a fresh pasta with cream sauce. It goes back to my Kraft Dinner days as a kid.
• Something you'd like a chance to eat or cook:
  I've been wanting to cook a whole pig's head for a while. *Update* Just cooked one. Next: Suckling pig
• The number of bottles of wine you own:
  Never enough.
• The ideal number of guests for a dinner party is:
  6
• Kitchen pet peeve:
  A sink filled with dishes.
• Your favorite cookbook:
  Right now? The Momofuku cookbook
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