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.