EPISODE 8 Mark Bittman vs. Michel Richard, Citronelle

"The Great One" - in both girth and reputation - runs Citronelle, easily the best upscale restaurant in the nation's capital. Bittman is awed when Michel assembles a lobster burger, which he happily admits is "the greatest hamburger in the world." He can only respond by going in the opposite direction, and produces the lobster roll of his youth - which Richard grabs from him and immediately devours.

Then Michel pulls out all the stops and shows Bittman his "vitello tonnato" - a Napoleon of poached veal and raw tuna, both cut into perfect circles, then assembled into a layered, towering stack in one of the most beautiful food shots of the series. Bittman goes pseudo-classic, running out the door for a loaf of French bread and sliced turkey, returning to make "turkey tonnato" - a turkey sandwich with tuna-caper sauce. Michel's parting words: "I'm afraid you will never be un grand chef."


MEET THE CHEF Michel Richard

Michel Richard

In 1987 Michel opened Citrus as Executive Chef and owner, adapting his native French cuisine to the tastes of Southern California. Citrus put Michel Richard on the culinary map. In 1987, Traveler's Magazine voted Citrus "The Best Restaurant in the United States," and in 1988, Michel Richard was inducted into the James Beard Foundation's Who's Who in American Food and Wine.

A year later, Michel opened Citronelle, offering a menu similar to that of Citrus, but in a more plush atmosphere overlooking the ocean in the Santa Barbara Inn Hotel. With his financial partners from MeriStar Hotels & Resorts, Inc. he went on to open Bistro M in San Francisco, and a Citronelle in Baltimore and Philadelphia. In 1994, Michel opened a Citronelle in the Latham Hotel in Washington DC's Georgetown. Four years after opening the DC restaurant, Michel decided to focus all of his efforts on the East coast. In early 1998, Citronelle underwent a $2 milalion renovation and Richard moved from Los Angeles to Washington, DC to cook full time. Michel now considers the DC Citronelle his flagship restaurant.

Michel is the author of Michel Richard's Home Cooking with a French Accent, published by William Morrow in 1993. His philanthropic endeavors include a Gala for which he organized 70 of France's greatest chefs to honor Julia Child and raised money for the American Institute of Wine & Food. Richard was a nominee for the James Beard Chef of the Year Award for 1996. The same year, he received the Five-Star Fleur de Lis Award for outstanding restaurant. He has been a guest on many television shows including Good Morning America, Food Network's Ready... Set...Cook! And the PBS series Cooking with Master Chefs, hosted by Julia Child.

Richard currently lives in Washington, DC with his wife and four children.