Reader Restaurant Awards' Big Personalities: Seth Grossman

This year we initiated the "Restaurant Personality of the Year" category as a nod to some of the people who make Beijing's dining scene what it is. We thought it'd be fun to have these personalities "interview" each other, so we invited each of the 13 nominees to contribute questions, and tossed a few in ourselves for good measure. Here’s what Seth Grossman of Home Plate Bar-B-Que had to say.

Which dinosaur would you be?
I am probably more like a Sasquatch or Sleestack, that weird in-between period with unicorns and dragons.

What one item of clothing best sums up your personality?
A good pair of Levi’s jeans: versatile, casual, strong and fun.

When you were a kid, what job did you think you would grow up to do?
I imagined that I would not make it past 27 like Jimi Hendrix or Kurt Cobain (“It’s better to burn out than to fade away”), but well, I am way past that now so my dream of being a rock star does not seem to be working out.

Is there any aspect of your own personality you don’t like to see in your staff?
I get distracted easily, with so many things going on at every minute, so I like them to stay focused and sharp.

If you were going to evaluate another chef’s ability by examining their kitchen, what specific areas would you look at as a test?
Well, I am not a chef but I love watching them work. I just love to see a passion for what they are doing. Seeing a chef’s toolbox tells a lot about who they are.

Check out the full list of who the readers chose in the Beijinger Reader Restaurant Awards here and here.

Home Plate Bar-B-Que 本垒美国餐 35 Xiaoyun Lu courtyard (from Dongsanhuan Beilu, head 20m north of Xiaoyun Lu intersection and take the first right), Chaoyang District (5128 5584) 朝阳区霄云路35号院（东三环北路,过霄云路路口,往北走20米,到第一个路口右转）

Click here to see the April issue of the Beijinger in full.