Gabrielle Hamilton, chef/owner of Prune; Marcus Samuelsson, chef/owner of Red Rooster; and Andrew Carmellini chef/owner of The Dutch and Locanda Verde, talk about what it takes to open a restaurant in New York and make it successful.

+ More Leonard Lopate: Food Fridays!

Andrew Carmellini, chef-owner of Locanda Verde and The Dutch, spoke to Leonard Lopate about his most recent cookbook, and he revealed what his favorite comfort food is!

Andrew Carmellini, two-time James Beard Award winner, acclaimed author of Urban Italian, and executive chef–owner of the New York City restaurants Locanda Verde and The Dutch, talks about the rich and diverse ingredients and cuisines that constitute American flavor. In his new cookbook American Flavor, Carmellini shares the lessons of his culinary life on the road in recipes and stories that get at the soul of how we eat today.

Weigh in: If you're an avid cook, how do you cope with the limitations of small NYC kitchens?