April Bloomfield, the woman who gave the middle finger to the highbrow/lowbrow food divide and brought gastropubs to New York, gives us a peek into the culinary empire—the Spotted Pig, the Breslin, and the John Dory Oyster Bar—that she and her partner Ken Friedman are building. Bloomfield, equal parts badass and softie, takes us to her favorite haunts and lays down her philosophy on cooking and life (in short, don’t be a wuss). The night ends in a beautiful blur of pickelbacks and pong at the Breslin.

Season 1 Episode 11 of Chef’s Night Out. Watch more