“People become cooks for a lot of different reasons. For me, it all started with my love of eating,” says Doug Psaltis. Indeed, when he’s not behind a stove, Doug can most often be found sitting at a table. From fine dining in Paris to barbecue competitions in Memphis, he’s traveled far and wide for a good meal, but the meals he remembers the most were those he ate while growing up on the north shore of Long Island. In fact, his passion for eating and cooking first came together when he was just ten years old and worked alongside his Greek grandfather in one of the oldest, traditional New York diners.

From that point on, Doug has dedicated himself to honing his craft to become one of the most talented young chefs in America. Having worked in restaurants across the United States and abroad, Doug has served virtually every type of cuisine, from haute French to refined Japanese, from New American to traditional Spanish. Doug has worked with such distinguished chefs as David Bouley, Alain Ducasse, Thomas Keller, and Wayne Nish.

In September 2003, Alain Ducasse selected Doug to be the chef of his new restaurant Mix in New York. After opening and running Mix in New York, Doug went out to Napa Valley to help run the French Laundry, one of the most acclaimed restaurants in the world. After five months in California, Doug realized that he needed to be back in New York. Soon after he returned, Doug was offered the Executive Chef position of Country restaurant, which is one of the most eagerly anticipated restaurant openings of the year. Doug is now working hard on readying Country for its September 2005 opening.