“The hope is that you learn from challenges and as long as I can keep from taking myself or any of this too seriously, I’ll keep taking the opportunity,” says
Cafe Juanita ‘s Holly Smith of returning to the Iron Chef franchise after getting the boot on The Next Iron Chef in 2009. Make sure to tune in to the Food Network Sunday, April 11 at 9pm to root for Smith as she battles kitchen queen Cat Cora.


What is your favorite ingredient of the moment?
Spring is just beginning to pop, so rhubarb, miner’s lettuce, and morels come to mind immediately. I love them all together with a simply prepared piece of fish, be it halibut (also just in), steelhead, or sablefish. I of course love a rhubarb Bellini and morels in cartoccio.

When you have out-of-town guests, where do you take them to eat?
I just remodeled my house and so for the first time ever I really want to cook for guests and share that time with them in my home. I often am asked to take them to Cafe Juanita, but my next move is usually sushi and I have a few favorites: Nishino, Kisaku, and Chiso, to name a few.

Any guilty food pleasure?
Frites and mayonnaise.

Name the one food trend you’re sick of.
I am less annoyed recently by trends—a bit of a surprise, really. As long as they don’t last too long and that they keep us moving in creative ways then I am much more tolerant today than ever before. That said, the big chain restaurants grabbing concepts like small plates without really understanding the concept is annoying—it is the molten chocolate cake of the moment.

What is your favorite cookbook?
James Peterson’s Sauces, Fish, and Shellfish books are something everyone should own.