FLOYD CARDOZ
Chef of New York's Tabla restaurant, and award-winning former
executive sous chef of Lespinasse
Father to Peter, 8, and Justin, 4
The kids love to eat raw oysters, soft-shell crabs, escargot, rare
steak, lentils, and all vegetables.
He says: "I was born in
Bombay and cook mostly French and Indian
food at home, and I've never forced my kids to eat anything. They
are very healthy eaters, too. At home, cooking simple, balanced
meals is vital, and I teach my children that it's an honor to cook
- and eat - good
food. Just yesterday, Peter was cutting
strawberries and considered it a privilege to be in the kitchen,
because he was finally old enough to wield a knife.
"We also dine out frequently and make it a rule to keep restaurant
meals to 90 minutes or less so the boys sustain interest and don't
get cranky. Also, as soon as we're seated, I tell the servers to
bring low-fat crackers or breadsticks to the table. Depending on
the restaurant, I may also bring carrot sticks to keep Peter and
Justin happily occupied."
STEVE DOLINSKY
Producer and host of the Good Eating Show on Chicagoland TV in
Chicago
Father to Madeline, 4, and Max, 1
The kids love to eat pad Thai, shrimp dumplings, hummus, roasted
beets and other vegetables, boiled sashimi octopus, and most ethnic
foods.
He says: "When Madeline was three weeks old, my wife, Amy, and I
took her to our favorite local dim sum restaurant because we wanted
her to become comfortable with loud, boisterous restaurants. Today,
as a result, she can sleep through a tornado. When they're very
young, babies are extremely portable and impressionable, and it's
the perfect time to introduce them to daring culinary experiences.
Plus, if you're lucky, they sleep right through dinner. Today, when
the dim sum cart rolls around, 4-year-old Madeline still chooses
her favorites, like Chinese sausage in banana leaf and barbecued
pork bun. She loves playing with the chopsticks, too."