Best Restaurants

Best Chef: Christopher Rohe, Prescotts

A certified executive chef as recognized by the American Culinary Federation, Christopher Rohe is now a two-time winner of Rochester Magazine's Best Local Chef award. (He was also a winner in the February, 2007 issue.) We caught up with Rohe on January 5, 2010, a day when he was not only celebrating the fourth anniversary of Prescotts' opening but was also making 36 cream puffs to bring to school for his son's 10th birthday.

I knew I wanted to be a professional chef when I was 6 years old.

The first dish I ever cooked was peanut butter cups when I was 8 years old.

The thing I most love about being a chef is it's different things every day. And I have people over to my place for dinner every night.

The life of a chef is hectic. It's long, thankless hours. Not everyone can do it. It's a tough job.

The most popular dish on the menu is the stuffed porkchop or the London broil.

The dish I make at Prescotts that I personally can't resist is chocolate turtle cake.

My favorite spice to work with is garlic because it can be sweet or spicy.

The best 'up and coming' trend in food is whole food—organic, home made (not pre-bought stuff).

It typically takes one to four attempts to perfect a dish and make it menu-worthy

A good restaurant is one that makes things from scratch.

At home, I love to eat simple food.

My last supper would be something I haven't had before.

I am trying to teach my 10- and 11-year-old kids that food is fun, creative.

Something that would surprise my customers about my cooking or me is that we make everything in-house.

Outside of work, I like to rest. Play with my kids. Be outside.

Working with my wife (Prescotts co-owner Jenna Rohe) every day is a treat. She is the best.

Runner-up: Eric Pater, City Café