Located in downtown Portsmouth, New Hampshire, Pesce Blue is an Italian restaurant with a contemporary feel.  Taste Columnist interviews James Walter, Executive Chef at Pesce Blue.

Where did you learn your craft?

I’ve had no formal training. I’ve been cooking since I was in my teens and mostly learned from other chefs on the job. I gained a great deal of experience when I went out west to Utah and cooked at the Stein Erickson Lodge. New England is my home, though. I’m from Bath, Maine, and the coastal atmosphere fuels my passion.

What are your favorite foods to cook?

I love cooking Italian food. I like the simplicity of the cuisine and the emphasis on quality. Even the simplest ingredients can be used to make an incredible meal.

What satisfies you about cooking?

The creativity. I like making something that I find pleasing, and then serving the dish to others who enjoy what I made. That is very satisfying.

What is the one tool you can’t live without in the kitchen?

My knife, but I have to say, what I really can’t live without in the kitchen are the people I work with--my staff. My sous chef is one of my best friends; we’ve worked together a long time and he knows how I work and what I need. The owner of Pesce Blue, Cliffe Arrand, is also great; he understands how I work and fosters a real team environment.

What was your biggest cooking disaster or most embarrassing moment?

Once, when I was still learning, I was pouring brandy into a hot sauté pan. I got the bottle of brandy too close to the pan, which was still on the stove. The flames from the pan leaped up, igniting the brandy, and shot into the bottle. The bottle blew right out of my hand!  Needless to say, I learned to keep the bottle some distance away from the heat.