Kermit Griffin, director and executive chef at Richmond Hill City Center, got to answer this week's questions:

1. What do you feel is your greatest achievement?
Becoming a father.

2. What, to you, is perfect happiness?
Smooth jazz on a Sunday morning with my beautiful wife and a warm, buttery roll.

3. What one material possession would you save in the event of a fire (assuming your family was safe)?
My commemorative set of Wusthof chef knives and my cell phone.

4. What’s the best advice you’ve ever been given?
If it can’t be repeated, don’t say it!

5. If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
Wouldn’t change a thing!

6. What is your greatest fear?
Mediocrity.

7. What real or fictional person do you most identify with?
Not sure – I pride myself on being original. I do have many people I admire, though: Colin Powell, Gordon Ramsay, Muhammad Ali and my dad (R.I.P.).

8. What is your greatest extravagance?
Tipping.

9. If money weren’t an object, how would you spend your time?
Constant traveling.

10. What is your favorite thing about yourself?
My sense of humor.

11. What trait do you most admire in another person?
Forthrightness.

12. What trait do you most deplore in another person?
Cynicism.

13. Who are your favorite musicians?
Stevie Wonder, Mos Def, Sting, Chris Botti, Rick Braun and Boney James.

14. What are your favorite books?
“Kitchen Confidential” and “The Omnivore’s Dilemma.”

15. What talent would you most like to have?
I’d like to be a great singer.