Q: The restaurant business has changed. What are today’s diners like?

A: It has changed and Andrew Sasson and Andy Masi have established themselves by their understanding of their customers’ needs and desires. Today’s diners are sophisticated; they go out maybe five nights a week. But, they don’t eat like their parents did: serious, four course dinners with stuffy service. They want a cool environment, hip servers, and excellent, familiar food... like my Very Adult Mac & Cheese. We call it classic American food with a twist. You might say it’s fun fine dining.

Q: What items do you recommend to your friends at FIX? At STACK?

A: Oh, I may recommend the yellow-tail sashimi, the lobster tacos, the shrimp Louis, or the beef carpaccio at FIX. And definitely a pineapple mojito or a habañero mango margarita. At STACK, the specialties range from light dishes like sashimi to Kurabota pork chop, the veal porterhouse, or Kobe beef.

Q: What do your parents order when they come in?

A: When either one of them comes in, they don’t order anything. I just keep sending food out.

Q: We hear your restaurants are good places to stargaze.

A: We get our share of celebs. We have fed Leonardo DiCaprio, Luke and Owen Wilson, Frank Thomas, Tobey Maguire, and Nikki and Paris Hilton. Yes, Nikki and Paris Hilton actually do eat.

Q: Your food is exciting and innovative. How do you develop concepts?

A: I’m a high-energy guy. I travel, I try food from other cultures and [FIX and STACK restaurant director] Oliver Wharton and I bounce ideas off each other all the time. It’s a constant challenge to produce something that looks cool and tastes great. My philosophy is: keep it simple, delicious, and basic. Don’t complicate it. Sure, it’s fine dining but it’s fun and affordable.