BILL TELEPAN
Telepan

One of New York's first and most acclaimed devotees of Greenmarket cooking, Bill Telepan opened his critically acclaimed Upper West Side restaurant five years ago, after earning a three-star New York Times review for Judson Grill and working in top kitchens such as Gotham Bar and Grill. He values his longtime relationships with local farmers and purveyors, and creates special harvest menus to highlight their seasonal offerings. Bill is also highly involved in the movement to improve NYC public school lunches. As executive chef of Wellness in the Schools (WITS), Bill has worked with the White House to create nationwide programs, and he hosted a radio show about public school lunches last summer on Martha Stewart Radio.

BILL TELEPAN

Telepan

MODERN AMERICAN

Recipes

How do you characterize your cuisine?

Seasonal American.

What region or ethnicity most influences your cooking?

Mid-Atlantic and Hudson Valley, New York state.

What is your signature dish?

Smoked trout with seasonal blini and sour cream.

What kind of food were you exposed to as a child?

All kinds, a lot of Hungarian cooking. I ate most things put in front of me.

Have you ever lived or trained overseas? Where?

I lived and worked in France. Mionnay, with Alain Chapel at his three -star restaurant in 1990.

Is there an exotic spice or ingredient that you particularly enjoy using?

I like to explore the depths of great paprika.

When you cook for yourself, what do you make?

I cook many things. Right now we are cooking pork and making desserts at home.

Tell us about some trips you've taken for inspiration.

I mostly take trips to spend time with my family, but I always plan the dinners. We were in London and had great meals at St. John and the River Café.

What are your thoughts on global cuisine?

I love when global ideas are blended into regional offerings.

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@billtelepan