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'The Chew' of the kitchen co-host Batali loves the energy BY GEORGE DICKIE Most restaurateurs will tell you they got into the business out of a love of preparing food but often found themselves devoting most or all of their time to administrative functions. There is, after all, much to be done: the books, the setting of the menu, the buying of the food, the actual running of the restaurant, and the hiring and firing of employees. Ah, the employees. Getting and keeping good ones can often be the biggest challenge a restaurant owner faces and can often make or break the business. Mario Batali, co-host of ABC's daytime food show "The Chew," knows. As a chef and coowner of 24 restaurants across the U.S., including Babbo in New York and B&B Ristorante in Las Vegas, he's seen his share of staffing issues over the years and says the problem in the industry seems to be getting worse. "Staffing is more a problem now than it was when we started in the late '90s," Batali says. "It's an interesting dichotomy: The restaurant business is in vogue – I talk to an inordinate number of people who aspire to careers in restaurants – but still, somehow, there's a lack of talent for hire." As for which is more valuable in today's restaurant job market – experience or culinary training – he says, "Experience, which is analogous to a culinary education. Find a restaurant or chef you admire, and offer to work for free." Batali didn't work for free when he started in the industry during his college years, but he did find the work irresistible, and he never looked back. "There was no definitive 'aha' moment when I realized I was destined for a life in the kitchen," he says. "My first restaurant job was making stromboli at a restaurant called Stuff Yer Face in New Brunswick, N.J. I loved the energy of the kitchen. I was hooked." What are you currently reading? "I just finished 'The Art of Fielding' (by Chad Harbach). This week, it's 'Franco's Crypt' by (Jeremy) Treglown." What did you have for dinner last night? "Chicken thighs with green beans and charred onions and a greens salad." BY JAY BOBBIN Kevin Bacon of "Footloose" John Travolta and Karen Lynn Gorney of "Saturday Night Fever" 8 Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey of "Dirty Dancing" Mario Batali What is your next project? "We're opening an Eataly in Chicago, a burger restaurant in the Venetian (in Las Vegas) and an outpost of Pizzeria Mozza in the old police headquarters building in San Diego. It's going to be a busy fall." When was the last vacation you took – where and why? "Vermont and Maine, to visit colleges with my son." Best Dance Movies "42nd Street" (1933) At least one highly choreographed Busby Berkeley extravaganza should be on this list, and we choose this classic Broadway story. "An American in Paris" (1951) Gene Kelly doesn't make a wrong move, literally or figuratively, as a painter who falls for an engaged woman (Leslie Caron). "Royal Wedding" (1951) Fred Astaire made numerous dance classics, many with Ginger Rogers, but his "dancing on the ceiling" number stands alone. "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers" (1954) Some of the best choreography in MGM musicals is featured in this saga of backwoods siblings who all want wives. "Saturday Night Fever" (1977) Like, this wouldn't be on the list? All The Goshen News • Viewer's Choice • October 14-20, 2013 by itself, John Travolta's dynamic "You Should Be Dancing" routine assures this atmospheric drama a spot. "The Turning Point" (1977) Not only does ballet have a showcase here, it's also woven skillfully and logically into the story of two rivals in dance and in life (Shirley MacLaine, Anne Bancroft). "Flashdance" (1983) What a feeling, indeed! Jennifer Beals and her dance double did much to boost the health of this movie genre at the time. "Footloose" (1984) He may be chasing serial killers on television now, but here, Kevin Bacon was chasing the most dynamic dance moves he could execute. "White Nights" (1985) The differing dance styles of Gregory Hines and Mikhail Baryshnikov gave a terrific subtext to the tale of two men dealing with oppression in Russia. "Dirty Dancing" (1987) The success of how well dance was merged into the story of Johnny and Baby (Patrick Swayze, Jennifer Grey) can be gauged by how enduring the film's popularity is. "Strictly Ballroom" (1992) Director Baz Luhrmann boosted his reputation internationally with this tale of a competition that more-than-slightly inspired "Dancing With the Stars." "Billy Elliot" (2000) Dance was essential to the story of the title youngster, played by Jamie Bell. "Black Swan" (2010) Any fan of "Swan Lake" automatically will appreciate this drama that brought Natalie Portman an Oscar as a deeply troubled ballerina.

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