Food Network fanatics may recognize Claudio Sandri, who took over last month as executive chef at Roberto Donna’s Bebo Trattoria (2250 Crystal Dr., Arlington), from his TV debut on Iron Chef America, when he helped Donna stage an impressive comeback victory over Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto. But Sandri and Donna go back long before that, having attended the same culinary school in their hometown of Torino, Italy. Sandri moved from Italy to DC six years ago to work for Donna at his high-end Laboratorio del Galileo, went home for a quick stint in Italy, then came back to this area when his old friend needed capable hands to take over the kitchen at Bebo. Here, the chef chats about his favorite dessert made by his pastry chef wife, his meat-and-cheese-stocked fridge, the Iron Chef he admires most, and more.

Jennifer 8. Lee loves chicken feet and Chipotle. Photograph courtesy of Jennifer 8. Lee.

New York Times reporter Jennifer 8. Lee’s witty new book, The Fortune Cookie Chronicles: Adventures in the World of Chinese Food, unearths the origins of the fortune cookie, explores the invention of General Tso’s chicken, and recounts the kosher-duck scandal of 1989 at Rockville’s Moshe Dragon. During Lee’s stint in the Washington bureau of the Times, she was known for parties she held in her loft near the Washington Convention Center, featuring fried dumplings made from scratch and a slew of boldface names. Still reporting in addition to selling books, she took a few minutes to answer our either/or questions.

Chop’t or Chipotle?

Chipotle. I love that people think of burritos as a Mexican food when in fact—like beef with broccoli and spaghetti and meatballs—it is a dish that is largely indigenous to the United States.

Chinatown bus or Amtrak?

The Chinatown-bus network will take you to crevices of the map where Amtrak doesn’t go—anywhere you can find a Chinese restaurant: Kalamazoo, Michigan; Wausau, Wisconsin; Jackson, Tennessee. 

Ahhh, brunch. That lazy weekend repast fueled by Bloody Marys and mimosas that bridges breakfast and lunch and, after a long week at work, passes as a full-day activity. In the spirit of Mother’s Day—one of the biggest brunch days of the year—we’re bringing in three chefs who offer stellar late-morning menus to chat about all things brunchy and breakfasty today at 11 AM. Ask them about their own favorite brunches, how they riff on the traditional to set their menus apart from the often-boring pack, or for ideas on what to make for Mom on Sunday morning. Because, of all people, she certainly deserves a delicious, lazy brunch. Submit your questions here.

Hungry Girl Lisa Lillien's diet includes Ooey Gooey Chili Cheese Nachos and Dreamy Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge. Photograph by Amanda Friedman.

Who: Calling all healthy eaters—but still lovers of delicious food.

What: Book signing for Hungry Girl: Recipes and Survival Strategies for Guilt-Free Eating in the Real World by Lisa Lillien. Get Lillien’s John Hancock while dining on free snacks (Vitalicious VitaTops and Fiber One bars) and asking the author which recipe she made last night.

Where: Tysons Corner Borders (8027 Leesburg Pike, Vienna)

When: Tonight (Monday) at 7:30

Why: In 2003, Lillien, a Los Angeles native, transformed her love of guilt-free foods into a free daily e-mail called Hungry Girl. The newsletter started out small, going to only 78 people; today it has more than 400,000 subscribers. Lillien has been a guest on Today and appears regularly on Extra. She also writes weekly columns on Yahoo! and WeightWatchers.com.

Her daily Hungry Girl emails include news, food finds, recipes, and weekend survival strategies. “I’m not a nutritionist; I’m just hungry,” says Lillien, who’s struggled with weight issues all her life. She’s a self-proclaimed “foodologist” on the lookout for foods that taste great but still allow you to zip up your jeans in the morning.
 

Mention retiring to Anna Castillo and she wrings her hands and shakes her head: “I can’t imagine it. What would I do?”

Since Christmas Day 1982, Castillo has spent five days a week as a prep cook at the hotel in DC’s Foggy Bottom that now houses the restaurant Circle Bistro.

Working alongside people a fraction of her age—executive chef Brendan Cox is 33—Castillo climbs atop a milk crate to press out hundreds of pounds of French fries. Then she scrubs mushrooms, picks peas, and trims green beans. “She’s like bing, bang, boom—the best prep cook I’ve ever had,” says Cox. “But if I ever leave, I don’t think I’d want to take her out of this environment. It’s so organic to her. This is much more her kitchen than it is mine.”

We sat down with Castillo, still wearing her kitchen whites and beloved fur-lined RocketDog clogs, to hear her story.

In a hunger-inducing online chat this morning, pastry chefs Heather Chittum, Michelle Poteaux, and Josh Short dished about cupcake madness, dessert wines, and how to break into the pastry biz. They shared ideas for great ways to use summer fruit, revealed the restaurants (besides their own!) where they’ve enjoyed stellar desserts, and reassured one chatter that it’s A-OK for a busy home cook to bake from a box. If you missed the lively roundtable, check out the transcript.

February’s round-table with three bartenders and last week’s Chinese food chat with author Jennifer 8. Lee were such hits that we’re bringing in more food-world folks for Q&As. On Thursday, April 3, at 11 AM, three of the area’s top pastry chefs—all 2008 Rammy Award nominees—will chat live on Washingtonian.com. Want to know their take on the current cupcake craze? Or how to avoid home baking disasters? Submit a question in advance for our pastry panel here: