Vinny Dotolo
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One thing you don't know about me is that I'm afraid of heights.
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If I could trade places with one chef it would be this guy who prepares ramen noodles outside the Tsukiji fish market in Tokyo. It's all he does and it's awesome! Why? Focus and integrity.
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One of my most memorable meals was at Trattoria Monti in Rome.
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If there was no (foie gras), I'd have no reason to live. I don't think that extreme, but if I had to choose … I love it for so many reasons and California is trying to take it away from us.
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My go-to drink is Pimm's Cup.
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If I were on death row my last meal would be … Well, I don't like thinking about death and if I knew I was going to die, I don't think I'd be that hungry.
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My worst culinary creation was the television show we did for the Food Network. The worst ever!
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If I could change one thing about me it would be my tattoos.
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My favorite junk food is salt and vinegar chips (Tim's or Cape Cod).
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If I wasn't a restaurant operator, I'd love to be a professional surfer.
Jon Shook
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One thing you don't know about me is just how clean I am.
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If I could trade places with one chef it would be Thomas Keller. He is a god and everyone wants to work for him.
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One of my most memorable meals was at Alinea in Chicago.
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If there was no salt, I'd have no reason to live.
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My go-to drink is water. When I need a boost, I like to spike it with vodka.
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If I were on death row my last meal would be fried chicken and ice cream.
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My worst culinary creation was a soup I made when I was 12. I still remember how bad it smelled.
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If I could change one thing about me it would be to think more before I answer.
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My favorite junk food is Doritos.
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If I wasn't a restaurant operator, I'd love to be a firefighter.
Jon Shook and Vinny Dotolo are the chef/owners of Animal restaurant in Los Angeles. The duo were named Food & Wine Best New Chefs in 2009, received a James Beard nomination for Best New Restaurant and were declared Rising Star Chefs by Star Chefs. In addition to the restaurant, Shook and Dotolo also operate a full-service catering company and authored a cookbook: Two Dudes, One Pan.
