Q&A with Michael Hartnell

You've worked in London, Perth, Melbourne and now New York City. How do the restaurant patrons in the varying cities differ?

New Yorkers are quite demanding customers—not in a bad way. They know what they like and want they want. They like to order off the menu and alter dishes, so you have to be hands on everyday. Londoners are easier, they don’t order off menus. Australians are very laid back. The menus tend to be light fare and orientated around seafood.

Within the restaurant industry, do you find one city to be more intense or competitive than the others?

There is massive restaurant competition in New York City. People definitely eat out much more here—maybe it’s because of the small kitchens in the apartments [he laughs]. The offering is more diverse and bigger than London, yet the intensity is the same. But you need that intensity to bring out the best in chefs—and the food.

What misconceptions do Americans tend to have about British food?

I think the general feeling still is that British food is under-seasoned, bland and dodgy. Le Caprice is not a British restaurant serving only British food—the menu is truly international and offers something for everyone. We do feature items such as Welsh rarebit and salmon fish cake, a classic Caprice dish in London, but the menu includes items such as yellow-fin tuna with spiced lentil salsa, char grilled halibut and Italian dishes such as veal alla Milanese with arugula and vine tomatoes. Many items are offered year-round, but we change the menu seasonally to highlight the best of what each season has to offer, and the specials change weekly. Summer menu special items include asparagus soup made with asparagus grown in New Jersey, broad beans, fava beans and garbanzo beans, all of which are locally grown.

What are your favorite aspects of cooking?

I enjoy fish mongering and butchering.

If you had to choose a favorite dish to prepare, what would it be?

Making pasta from scratch. It is one of the most beautiful things to do from beginning to end—making the dough, resting it, passing it through the pasta machine, adding the fillings, cooking it and plating it. I also like to roast—a lot of love goes into roasting.

What is your favorite thing to eat?

It’s hard to choose, but if I had to pick, I do love pasta and chocolate.

You've been living in New York City since September 2009. What are your impressions?

New Yorkers, like Londoners, are said to be rude and unfriendly, but that doesn’t seem to be true at all. I’ve found New Yorkers to be warm and friendly. The constant noise here surprised me—it never quiets down. It bothered me at first, but I’m used to it now and I like it.

What is the one food you think everyone should try in their lifetime?

Definitely truffles! The earthy fragrance about them is simply wonderful.