Robert Bouchard
O’Connors, Worcester
What’s your favorite thing to do with garlic?
Eat it
 
What’s the advantage of using organic?
These days, they’re safer products, better grown, and it’s better for the environment. We’ve seen a lot of growing issues and having a controlled environment makes it a little safer.
 
What’s your favorite part of the meal?
I like dessert.

What’s your favorite thing to cook at home?
I’m a simple guy — I like chicken parm done the right way, with homemade tomato sauce, pan-fried chicken breaded right and fresh buffalo mozzarella.
 
Do you use a microwave?
No way! No microwaves here!
 
What’s your favorite comfort food?
Meatloaf
 
What’s the most important tool in your kitchen?
My 30-gallon kettle. That’s where I cook our famous butternut bisque.
 
What was your worst kitchen disaster?
I was sharpening a long 12-inch knife and the steel had a bead in it. I had it pointed toward the floor and the tip of the knife hopped off and went into my thigh. It made a four-inch gash. Of course, this was on a Saturday night, just before our dinner rush, so I cleaned up, tied up my leg nice and tight and kept cooking.

Brian McNally
The Old Timer, Clinton
What’s your favorite thing to do with garlic?
Make haddock St. James — it’s my favorite haddock dish on our menu.
 
What’s the advantage of using organic?
I don’t find there is one. I think organic sometimes costs you, in terms of both flavor and price.
 
What’s your favorite part of the meal?
All of it.
 
What’s your favorite thing to cook at home?
Mexican food.
 
Do you use a microwave?
Sometimes to reheat, but no, not to cook.
 
What’s your favorite comfort food?
American chop suey
 
What’s the most important tool in your kitchen?
My head chef [laughs] and my favorite spatula
 
What was your worst kitchen disaster?
We were having a party for 50 people, and the cook told the dishwasher to put the soup in bucket. The dishwasher thought he said “huck it” and he threw it out. That’s my favorite one. We had to recreate that soup pretty quickly.

Michael Gleason
Michael’s Bridge Diner, Lancaster
What’s your favorite thing to do with garlic?
Make soup
 
What’s the advantage of using organic?
There’s really no advantage unless you’re really health conscious, then I guess it could possibly be better, but in my book, none.
 
What’s your favorite part of the meal?
I don’t like appetizers. I guess the entrée.
 
What’s your favorite thing to cook at home?
Prime rib
 
Do you use a microwave?
As little as possible.
 
What’s your favorite comfort food?
Mashed potatoes and gravy.
 
What’s the most important tool in your kitchen?
My employees
 
What was your worst kitchen disaster?
The time my char broiler caught fire in my restaurant in Bolton.
 

Nancy MacPherson
Nancy’s Airfield Café, Stow
What’s your favorite thing to do with garlic?
Long slow roast it and use it on anything.
 
What’s the advantage of using organic?
The advantage for me is that we have two great organic farms in Stow, Small Farm and Applefield Farm, so their produce only travels three to five miles to get to me. It’s fresher, there’s less fuel consumption to deliver it, and it’s easier on the land.

What’s your favorite part of the meal?
Soups, because you can be very creative with “leftovers.” Leftovers seem to be a bad thing for families today because it might mean that someone would actually have to cook. What would happen to warming turkey soup after Thanksgiving or split pea soup after an Easter ham or for me, French onion soup after leg of lamb? Some of my fondest food memories and comfort foods come from leftovers.
 
What’s your favorite thing to cook at home?
Either breakfast, because it means my children are home for the holidays and I’m off work, or barbecuing, or trying out a new idea on friends …

Do you use a microwave?
What did we do before they invented them? My father was an engineer and always had the “first” of anything, including an Amana. I remember blowing up a whole egg when I was 10 years old. I cleaned up for days.
 
What’s your favorite comfort food?
Leftovers or barbecue.
 
What’s the most important tool in your kitchen?
A sharp knife.
 
What was your worst kitchen disaster?
I don’t know if there is a worst, but I kind of like having to be creative. I guess it’s the artist in me. We did have a cook who would forget to stir things on the stove and we got tired of adding ham or bacon to make a “smoked something.”
 

Steve Sprague
J’s Restaurant, Bolton
What’s your favorite thing to do with garlic?
Slice it real thin
 
What’s the advantage of using organic?
The first thing that comes to mind is health — then there’s the environment and helping the local farmers. We want to help them sustain raising natural products and we hope we pay attention to that.
 
What’s your favorite part of the meal?
The wine
 
What’s your favorite thing to cook at home?
Italian
 
Do you use a microwave?
Only for leftovers

What’s your favorite comfort food?
Pizza

What’s the most important tool in your kitchen?
My knife
 
What was your worst kitchen disaster?
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