Korin interviewed Sam during the break between lunch and dinner in the glorious ambiance of the New York Tao.

"I grew up in the business. My dad was a chef and my mother's father was also a chef. My mom was a wonderful cook- I think she spent most of her time in the kitchen. And then my folks bought a restaurant in the Albany area and we moved upstate."

"I'm in my mid-40's and what we do today is so different from what we did then. While my father learned how to cook on his own, I'm a graduate of CIA, as well as a fellowship honoree there. I taught at CIA from 1990-1993."

"I've had some remarkable jobs and experiences in restaurants, working with and learning from some of the greatest chefs. When Todd English left La Cote Basque, I took over. JR (Jean-Jacques Rachou) is one of the few French chefs who allowed Americans in the kitchen. Then I went to work for Barry Wine at the Casual Quilted Giraffe, where I learned something that is invaluable to me today, as we serve thousands of covers. It's the expediting system that Barry created and it still works remarkably well."

"I was the first chef at the original Quatorze, and then I headed overseas to London. It was there that I bought my first Japanese knife, there that I started collecting them. Now, of course, that's all I use. They came with me to my job as Executive Chef at Tavern on the Green, and then at Rue 57 and now at Tao."

"My knives are an inspiration to me because they make my work flow so well...but so are dishes!! I love visiting Korin - when I look at the dishes, I get inspired! In fact, I'll look at a plate and I'll create a dish around the plate. I love doing that!"

"Spending time in Hong Kong, Thailand and Japan before we opened Tao was a wonderful educational experience. Cooking really is universal -when you can cook in one language, you can in every one!"