Ilan Hall, winner of the second season of Bravo’s hit “Top Chef”, picked Los Angeles to launch his first restaurant, The Gorbals. What’s on the menu? “Bone marrow, organs, stuff that I love that most people would throw away,” Hall said at his Zócalo panel on celebrity chef culture. “No frills, no extra fancy stuff.” The downtown spot, he said, is “just where I wanted to be. I spend most of my time there, as my girlfriend will tell you.” Below, Hall tells us more about himself.

Q. What is the last habit you tried to kick?

A. Smoking.

Q. Who was your childhood hero?

A. It’s a three-way split between my grandfather, my father, and my cousin.

Q. What do you consider to be the greatest simple pleasure?

A. Crispy French fries.

Q. Where would we find you at 10 a.m. on a typical Saturday?

A. Getting banh mi with my girlfriend and the dog in Chinatown.

Q. What do you wish you had the nerve to do?

A. I have lots of nerve.

Q. When do you feel most creative?

A. In my kitchen.

Q. What is your favorite cocktail?

A. A gin and tonic. Hendricks.

Q. What is your most prized material possession?

A. My restaurant.

Q. If you were about to be executed, what would you want for your final meal?

A. Crispy French fries.

Q. Who is the one person living or dead you would most like to meet for dinner?

A. Bill Clinton.

To read more about Hall’s panel, click here.

*Photo by Aaron Salcido.