Peter Levine at Waterfront Grill

How long have you been cooking professionally?

I have held the title as "the chef" for 16 years.

What led you to this industry?

A buddy of mine pulled me away from lawn mowing when I was 15. He had a job in this cool place, so I followed his lead and started washing dishes and pots. I never left the kitchen after that.

How would you describe your cooking style?

Simplicity and purity are the foundations I build upon when creating my menu items. Preserving the qualities of the ingredients I use allows the true flavors of the products to shine through and stand on their own with little adulteration. Deftly presenting them with cosmopolitan flair, I create a pedestal for the freshest food I can purvey. Classic approaches and modern refinement. The level of seriousness towards the food and its execution is one of the most important details of the kitchens I've managed.

What would you be doing if you weren't a chef?

I have lived the life of a chef so long that I couldn't imagine doing anything else. Perhaps a carpenter or a poor artist.

If a movie was made about your life, what actor would you want to play you? Any reason why?

Christian Bale. He has great range as an actor.

If you could dress however you want in the kitchen, what would you wear?

The classic chef's uniform. It's not a fashion show in the kitchen. It's serious.

What was your worst kitchen disaster?

The fire suppression system went off one afternoon before a busy night. We ran like hell to clean the mess and open for dinner.

What would you say is your best masterpiece in the kitchen or your specialty?

I have had many little masterpieces over the years. Each restaurant has and needs its own. They are as fleeting as they are created. I like to think of my specialty as making people like what they have been accustomed not to like. It's very rewarding to see someone's eyes light up when they eat and have new found flavors they were blind to in the past.

Do you cook at home? If so, what can always be found in your refrigerator/freezer?

I do cook for my family and they love it. I keep lots of condiments from ketchup to truffle honey, lots of different salts and spices. The basic staples are always on hand. This allows me to shop for fresh meats and fish and build menus around them.

What is a skill that you most use in the kitchen?

Teaching and preaching Kaizen (a Japanese philosophy). It's the biggest skill we use besides proper technique and methodology in cooking. It's a method for orderly, gradual and continuous improvement. Lots of listening also. Listening is a skill many need to refine.

What is the hardest dish to cook and perfect?

There are quite a few of them. Roasted chicken, eggs and fish take years to figure out.

After all your years of cooking, how do you come up with new ideas and recipes?

I look at magazines and books from around the world for new ideas, mainly pictures. I love to deconstruct old classics and rework them into the 21st century sensibilities.

You mentioned the Waterfront has great bartenders. What's your favorite drink when you are unwinding from a long day?

I am a rum drinker. I love the Hemingway Daiquiri (white rum, lime juice, grape fruit juice and maraschino liqueur). It's a tough one to balance correctly, but our bar staff has it perfected.

What is the best part about being executive chef at the Waterfront?

A very busy kitchen, a fantastic crew of professionals, the view from my office and the company's values.