Grilled: 2008 Celebrate Flatiron Chefs

Geoffrey Zakarian, Country

What do you think of Frank Bruni?
As a writer, he's excellent. As a food writer, he's very good. As a critic, he's good.

Has he gotten it right, say, the last two months?
I must say I go to all the restaurants he eats at and I have very similar reactions to service and food. But I obviously don't need to flower them up like he does.

Have you personally spotted him in your restaurant?
Yes. After the nausea settles in, it's fine because I have been doing this for a long time. It's almost better not to spot him because everybody starts to get nervous and season the food twice. In a scary way it's almost better to not know he is there.