Luigi Muhlach is forthright about his cooking: Taste is his priority, so forget about dieting for a moment to savor his preparation. Each dish from his kitchen is fully loaded with calories, flavors, and all the things that make for a sumptuous dining experience.

“I’ll let you in on a secret – fat is flavor,” Muhlach said with a wink. “This is why most diet food isn’t enjoyable to eat. Sometimes you need to enjoy food as a purely pleasurable thing.”