Nader Baroukh, Former City of Falls Church Mayor

1. Do you have any special methods to prepare for being a Taste of Falls Church judge?
I may try to go on a long bike ride to work up a healthy appetite. I will also bring my wife and daughter with me to help with the tasting.

2. What’s your favorite restaurant that has opened in Falls Church in the past five years?
I love them all.

3. Who’s your favorite celebrity chef or cook?
Ming Tsai. Great at incorporating western and eastern cooking.

4. If you could have one dish prepared by one person, who and what would it be?
My wife has promised to make me Julia Child’s Beef Bourguignon for years. I am still waiting.

5. What’s the healthiest and unhealthiest thing you’ve eaten in the past week?
Healthy – I had some fruit this week…Unhealthy – too much chocolate.

6. If you had to prepare one dish for a potluck, what would it be?
I can’t cook. So, a green salad.

7. How often do you eat at home versus how often do you eat out?
50-50

8. Are leftovers a cost-saving necessity or an under-appreciated delicacy?
I am not a fan of leftovers. So, a cost-saving necessity.

9. What is your least favorite thing you make yourself eat on a regular basis?
Cereal bars.

10. Wine, beer or cocktail with a meal?
Depends on the meal.

Dr. Peter Noonan, Superintendent of Falls Church City Public Schools

1. Do you have any special methods to prepare for being a Taste of Falls Church judge?
I try not to eat too much in the morning so I have plenty of room for the afternoon treats.

2. What’s your favorite restaurant that has opened in Falls Church in the past five years?
I think the BBQ at Liberty is really delicious. I am particularly a fan of the brisket.

3. Who’s your favorite celebrity chef or cook?
Bobby Flay.

4. If you could have one dish prepared by one person, who and what would it be?
I would love to have a meal prepared by Julia Child.

5. What’s the healthiest and unhealthiest thing you’ve eaten in the past week?
Healthiest – raw spinach Uuhealthiest – French Fries

6. If you had to prepare one dish for a potluck, what would it be?
Homemade jalapeno poppers with peppers from our garden (wrapped in bacon of course)

7. How often do you eat at home versus how often do you eat out?
Eat out about one time a week for dinner. Lunches are a little more frequent.

8. Are leftovers a cost-saving necessity or an under-appreciated delicacy?
I am all about cost-savings!

9. What is your least favorite thing you make yourself eat on a regular basis?
Any green vegetable.

10. Wine, beer or cocktail with a meal?
Wine.

David Tarter, City of Falls Church Mayor

1. Do you have any special methods to prepare for being a Taste of Falls Church judge?
Fasting! Fasting! and more Fasting!

2. What’s your favorite restaurant that has opened in Falls Church in the past five years?
As mayor, all of the City’s restaurants are my favorites.

3. Who’s your favorite celebrity chef or cook?
Does Marie Callender or Chef Boyardee count?

4. If you could have one dish prepared by one person, who and what would it be?
Probably my aunt’s Hot Browns. – an open-faced sandwich of turkey and bacon, covered in a cheese sauce that’s baked.

5. What’s the healthiest and unhealthiest thing you’ve eaten in the past week?
Probably oatmeal and pizza. I try to stay mostly in neutral territory.

6. If you had to prepare one dish for a potluck, what would it be?
When my kids were younger, we would always bring a pasta dish to make sure they ate.

7. How often do you eat at home versus how often do you eat out?
I mostly eat at home.

8. Are leftovers a cost-saving necessity or an under-appreciated delicacy?
I love leftovers.

9. What is your least favorite thing you make yourself eat on a regular basis?
Vegetables hidden in smoothies.

10. Wine, beer or cocktail with a meal?
None of the above.

Jim Way, Executive Director at American Aeronautical Society

1. Do you have any special methods to prepare for being a Taste of Falls Church judge?
Fasting and a loose belt.

2. What’s your favorite restaurant that has opened in Falls Church in the past five years?
I’m a fan of Liberty Barbecue and Lazy Mike’s.

3. Who’s your favorite celebrity chef or cook?
Alton Brown. I love his scientific approach to cooking education. Learned a ton from him.

4. If you could have one dish prepared by one person, who and what would it be?
I love a good veal parmesan by any good Italian chef. But I’ll have to go with my wife’s shortbread cookies. Mmmm, butter.

5. What’s the healthiest and unhealthiest thing you’ve eaten in the past week?
Healthiest: A salad with roasted turkey. Unhealthiest: McDonald’s bacon, egg and cheese on a bagel.

6. If you had to prepare one dish for a potluck, what would it be?
Jim’s Atomic Sawdust Chili. (Homemade and contest winner!)

7. How often do you eat at home versus how often do you eat out?
Most nights at home.

8. Are leftovers a cost-saving necessity or an under-appreciated delicacy?
A little of both.

9. What is your least favorite thing you make yourself eat on a regular basis?
Turkey sausage. Blech.

10. Wine, beer or cocktail with a meal?
D. All of the above.

Sheila Way, Human Resources Professional

1. Do you have any special methods to prepare for being a Taste of Falls Church judge?
I’m going to scale back for a few days and wear something very comfortable.

2. What’s your favorite restaurant that has opened in Falls Church in the past five years?
I’ve been enjoying Northside Social and Liberty BBQ. We also love the new location for Lazy Mikes.

3. Who’s your favorite celebrity chef or cook?
I like Ina Garten’s approach to cooking and entertaining.

4. If you could have one dish prepared by one person, who and what would it be?
My grandmothers pasta primavera with veggies from her garden.

5. What’s the healthiest and unhealthiest thing you’ve eaten in the past week?
I love all vegetables so that’s the healthiest. The least healthy has got to be Ben&Jerrys.

6. If you had to prepare one dish for a potluck, what would it be?
I like to make Ina’s roasted vegetables and orzo.

7. How often do you eat at home versus how often do you eat out?
We eat most nights at home.

8. Are leftovers a cost-saving necessity or an under-appreciated delicacy?
A delicacy for sure.

9. What is your least favorite thing you make yourself eat on a regular basis?
Its got to be pork or steak.

10. Wine, beer or cocktail with a meal?
Cocktail, then wine.