Star Kitchen: Rocco DiSpirito

Rocco keeps all of his tools and gear at the ready, like a carving station, pasta maker and molcajete (mortar). Outside of the kitchen, he grows herbs ("Two kinds of tarragon!" he says) and tons of veggies, plus his favorite backyard crop: "ground cherries," small bittersweet berries. "I remember being a chef and paying so much money for those," he says. "Now I can't stop them from growing ... I just go out and grab them."

Rocco keeps a carving station set up because he makes so many roasts. "It's like a buffet!" he says.

His walnut floors and marble countertops are new, but Rocco can't wait for them to age. "When the floors wear in, they will look better," he says. "And I love patina on marble."

Kitchen clutter doesn't scare Rocco: He keeps utensils right on the counter. "If you're serious about cooking, you can't think, 'The counters have to be clear!'" he says.