Brunch and farmers markets: When it comes to weekend events, they're right up there with sleeping in. FN Dish recently caught up with the chef/owner of The Lambs Club and The National, both in New York City, and asked about his strategies for shopping farmers markets and hosting a weekend brunch.

FN Dish: What are your top tips for navigating a farmers market?

Geoffrey Zakarian: First things first: Don't buy anything for the first half-hour. See what you see. Ask for samples of everything. Then sit down for a minute and have a coffee and write down what you're going to buy. Don't be manic — everybody buys way too much. They get excited, they buy this and then say: "Why did I do that? This chocolate looks better, but I just bought this chocolate!" Just take a deep breath.

FN Dish: You're hosting a brunch at your house. What do you make?

GZ: I make a roast with a bunch of vegetable side dishes that are all cooked together in one pan. Then I make a garden salad and maybe some cheese and salumi — done.

GZ: At brunch, I like rosé champagne. Bloody Marys are great, but if you start on Bloody Marys and then you want to have wine or champagne later, you're just going to get trashed. So it's best to start with rosé champagne; you can do champagne for the rest of the evening.