A Short, Sweet & Salty Chat with Top Chef Winner Marcus Samuelsson

Chef Marcus Samuelsson, winner of the latest Top Chef Masters season, restauranteur, author, food activist and Michelle Obama pal, spoke with FM by phone from Sweden recently.

FM: You have been championing the idea of chefs adopting schools in their communities. What is a salty and sweet dessert that you'd recommend for K-12?

MS: Summertime berries in a rice pudding, a bread pudding or a panna cotta is a great dessert that doesn't cost a lot of money and can easily be made for a lot of people. You could even try some corn bread with a berry compote.

FM: What are some salty and sweet flavor combinations that you enjoy?

MS: A lot of great desserts are on the savory-sweet tip. Flavors like pineapple, ginger, and balsamic vinegar can all go together.

FM: You're opening a new restaurant soon in Harlem, Red Rooster, where you've said that you're going to draw from the rich African-American culture in that neighborhood. What's a dessert you'll be serving there?

MS: Sweet potato donuts. In Africa, sweet potatoes are used a lot. The mix of sweet potatoes with syrup is so good.