"I cook here because I'm afforded incredibleflexibility. I can make anything, and that's awonderful challenge to keep any chef creative,"Reidt said.

Restaurant Zinc's signature creation is itsZinc platter, a towering two-story dish ofoysters, clams, crab claws, shrimp and lobster.

"That [Zinc] platter is my best-kept secret.Every out-of-towner needs to try it," said Susan AMacmillan of Waverly.

Besides loving to cook, Reidt prides himself onbeing available to customers. During the week,after 10 p.m. or so, he said he likes to take aseat in the restaurant or at the raw bar and justenjoy the atmosphere.

As 24 year-old Meghan M. Stanley said, "You goto Zinc, and it's like straight out of BillyJoel's `Piano Man.' You forget about life for awhile."

Unlike Reidt, celebrity chef Nick Stellino wasless eager to please and more ready to jolt casualculinary browsers.

"I'm tired of good people ruining their foodand thinking they're failures. That is not a goodway to approach cooking," he said.

Listening to Stellino in the Viking Chef'sCorner or watching his "Pasta with Pine Nuts andRaisins" demonstration at the Bertolli Olive Oilbooth, crowds were captivated by the chef's humor.

"To lose your mind and half your soul in theinvestment banking business and then go into therestaurant and cooking business, that's beensuccess and happiness for me," said Stellino ofhis carefree attitude at the range.

Stellino went on to demonstrate a few of hisnewest recipes while at the same time making plugsfor family values in cooking, including theresponsibility of older chefs to instruct novices.

Stellino recommends American families try toshare a meal together each day, not out ofantiquated tradition but out of love for eachother. In the same vein, he said it's only rightfor him to help support newer chefs.

"From my heart to yours, from my kitchen toyours, it's about cooking with the heart,"Stellino said