10 Thoughts from Sean Brasel

One thing you don't know about me is that I'm an adrenaline junkie. I race motorcycles, cars and mountain bikes and have snowboarded all over North America.

If I could trade places with one chef it would be a personal chef for a famous athlete. It would be a nice change of pace to travel around and cook healthy meals for someone who eats like they're two people.

One of my most memorable meals was at Alinea in Chicago for my birthday this year. I took a short vacation to celebrate and I had my sights set on this meal. It did not disappoint. It was a truly exquisite dining experience — four hours of bliss, with each course more delicious than the last.

If there was no meat, I'd have no reason to live. Meat is the foundation of what I love to eat and the foundation of what I sell at my restaurant.

My go-to drink is red wine. I love it.

If I were on death row my last meal would be something endangered. I figure I should make it unique, so maybe something impossible like a Sumatran Tiger prosciutto. I've heard that in Italy, tiger prosciutto is amazing.

My worst culinary creation was almond-cured scallops. I tried serving medium rare scallops that had been warmed in a paste of crushed almonds and seasoning. I didn't like the result.

If I could change one thing about me it would be my memory. I am a very forward thinker, always planning for tomorrow, but a guest can talk to me about a special I made months ago, and I won't remember it for the life of me.

My favorite junk food is Pepperidge Farm cookies, specifically Sausalito Macadamia Cookies, with soy milk.

If I wasn't a restaurant operator, I'd love to be a motorcycle racer, hands down. Granted, I'm a little old now, but if I would have been given the chance at 16, I would have been very fast.