Coffee with the Chef: Michael Latour at Latour in Ridgewood

Michael Latour, 51, was no stranger to high-end cooking even before he opened Latour in Ridgewood in 1998 — the Ramsey resident had cooked at the Jockey Club at the Ritz Carlton, the Four Seasons Hotel, the Doral Park Avenue Hotel (all in New York City) and L'Auberge de France in Wayne before opening his own place. Latour, a French-American restaurant, received three out of four stars from The Record in 2010, when it was last reviewed.

Although he has a degree in culinary arts from Johnson and Wales University in Rhode Island, Latour says it was his on-the-job experience that was most valuable — in cooking, he says, everything is based on interpretation, and learning from others is critical to create one's own style.

Here, Latour talks about convection ovens, his (negative) feelings for tilapia and his favorite local restaurant.

My favorite tool in the kitchen: The convection oven. It cooks evenly, it browns things better, and it helps with soufflés in particular. You try to make that in a regular oven, and it's just not going to come out as well.

Food fad I hate: Tilapia. That's the worst fish. It's a farm-raised fish that's raised in a cesspool. It's nasty. If you see that on a menu, stay away. It should have a skull and crossbones next to it.

Biggest misconception about chefs: Chefs have been glorified on the Food Network, and people think, "I'm going to come out of school and become a chef and open a restaurant." But it takes a long period of time to gain the knowledge needed — it's a minimum of 10 years.

The secret to great French cuisine is: The sauces. Without that, there's nothing.

My favorite kitchen knives: Henckels. They're very sturdy, they have some weight to them, and I like their feel.

My favorite local restaurant: Local Seasonal Kitchen in Ramsey. The presentation is fabulous, and Steve Santoro's style is very different — there are a lot of items on the plate.

Guilty pleasure: Chocolate. I love Cacao Noel. It's not too tart, not too bitter.

I keep my weight down by: Hiking. I go to Skyline Drive in Ringwood, or Seven Lakes or Sterling Forest in New York State. I go three times a week at least, and do 5 miles or more.

A tip for home cooks: When cooking fish, it's always better to have it a little underdone than overcook it.

Favorite dining experience: At the Moulin de Mougins in Mougins, France. The chef was Roger Verge, and the cheese course was amazing. We had a lobster navarin, and a noisette of lamb with morel mushrooms. The sauces, the quality of the meat, the presentation … it was the whole package. They really nailed it.

More info: Latour, 6 E. Ridgewood Ave., Ridgewood; 201-445-5056, latourridge wood.com. Appetizers $9 to $17, entrées $26 to $36. Tuesday to Thursday 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., Friday 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m., Saturday 6 to 8:30 p.m., Sunday 4 to 9 p.m.

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http://www.northjersey.com/food-and-dining-news/restaurant-reviews/michael-latour-at-latour-in-ridgewood-on-his-favorite-local-restaurant-and-favorite-knives-1.1126687