Chef's Story

Rick Bayless discusses his passion for Mexican cuisine; red chili steak with beans.

Anthony Bourdain talks about his culinary and traveling adventures; duck confit with frisee salad.

Lidia Bastianich discusses her quest to bring Italian cuisine to America; skillet cauliflower with bacon; brussels sprouts alla padella.

André Soltner, owner of New York's Lutece, demonstrates the basic omelet method.

Bobby Flay talks about his life in television; 16 spice chicken with caramelized mango-garlic sauce.

Daniel Boulud's journey from his family's farm in France to America; scorpionfish farci braised with a crab bouillabaisse.

Jacques Pépin talks about working as a personal chef to three French heads of state; pate a choux.

Thomas Keller discusses his quest for culinary perfection; poularde legs stuffed with morel mousse with pickled ramps.

Cat Cora talks about the Food Network's "Iron Chef America" and her role as founder of Chefs for Humanity; milk and honey soup.

Patrick O'Connell discusses how he showcased his love for theater by running The Inn at Little Washington; scrambled eggs with caviar.

Michel Richard, one of the founders of "California Cuisine," prepares apple risotto.

Alain Sailhac discusses his experiences of coming to America from France; making french fries.

Marcus Samuelsson shares the importance of his multicultural heritage; gravlax with Ethiopian berbere and avocado soup.

Spanish chef José Andrés prepares shrimp paella.

Celebrity chef Todd English prepares fresh pasta tajarin with lobster and spring vegetable carbonara.

Norman Van Aken describes his quest to translate the sensuality of Latin American flavors to the North American palate; tuna tiradito.

Suzanne Goin runs three Los Angeles restaurants; blood orange and arugula salad with dates and almonds; warm kabocha squash with dandelion.

Dean Fearing and Robert Del Grande discuss their love for Southwestern cuisine; grilled barbecue shrimp tortillas; pickled red onion salad.

Dan Barber talks about his restaurant project; crispy braised pork belly with mixed baby greens.

Pastry chef Jacques Torres shares his passion for chocolate; chocolate balloon cups filled with chocolate mousse.

Jean-Georges Vongerichten blends his French Alsatian roots with Asian influences; ginger lime syrup; raw tuna with chili oil spiced tapioca.

Charlie Palmer discusses his progressive American cuisine, American artisanal products and produce of small farmers; roux and reduction sauce methods.

Chicago restaurateur Charlie Trotter prepares a celery root conjugation.

David Bouley talks about feeding rescue workers at Ground Zero after Sept. 11; hot smoked salmon with creme fraiche.

Arun Sampanthavivat's journey to become a self-taught master of Thai cuisine; Hung Lay Curry.

Tom Colicchio created a culinary empire from New York to Las Vegas and the Carolina Islands; artichokes barigoule and sea bass.