What food reminds you of childhood?
Being from Wisconsin … cheddar cheese, bratwurst, and Pabst Blue Ribbon. People in Milwaukee drank Pabst, Blatz, or Schlitz when I was growing up. (That might be a reason why I don’t drink.)

When did you first know you wanted to be a chef?
With 20-plus years in the food and beverage business, I’m still not sure I want to be a chef; but Metallica doesn’t need a tambourine player and I can’t sing — a fact that is well documented daily in the kitchen at the University Club.

What is your favorite foreign cuisine?
Vietnamese and Thai.

Who would you invite to your fantasy dinner party?
My wife (she’ll probably see this, right?), Vince Lombardi and the Green Bay Packers from the Ice Bowl, Brett Favre, Salvador Dali, the members of Bad Religion, and maybe Warren Sapp to shake things up a bit with Favre. I should probably invite a side of beef too.

What’s always in your refrigerator at home?
An ample supply of Mexican Coca-Cola, Häagen-Dazs, and batteries.

What is your most used cookbook?
Most of my research these days is Web-based, but I do like to read Rick Bayless’ Mexico One Plate at a Time, as well as the Cheese Primer by Steven Jenkins.

Who’s your favorite television chef?
Difficult question. You gotta love what Emeril’s done for the market and the people love him, but I have to go with either Ming Tsai or Tony Bourdain. In Houston, there are two restaurateurs on PBS — Damian Mandola and Johnny Carrabba — who I think are a hoot.

What would you have for your last meal?
Am I on death row or is this like that episode of Twilight Zone where the guy knew when he was going to die? Give me University Club’s Slightly Famous Seafood Gumbo, a No. 60 from Mai’s Vietnamese Restaurant, a Double-Double from In-N-Out Burger, a chocolate shake, and wash it down with a Mexican Coke. Maybe some pineapple upside-down cake. No sense going out like a lightweight.

What is your favorite kitchen gadget?
I only use it twice a year, but my super-cool egg topper is a marvel of design and engineering. It is also one of the few gadgets that actually works every time.

Do you have a favorite indulgence?
I’m sure that the expected response would be foie gras or beluga caviar, but I’m going to have to go with Häagen-Dazs milk shakes and Jack in the Box tacos.

How does your personal taste influence the club menu?
My taste in food is pretty simple, so I try not to model menus after what I personally like to eat. I try to put items on the club’s menus that are fresh and interesting, but accessible. I believe it is our commitment to a high level of execution and our ability to nail the day-to-day experience that has made us successful.

Photography by Pam Francis.