You can tell by the wide grin that spreads across Chef Michael Symon's face whenever he talks about his work that he is a man who truly loves his job.

And as an award winning chef, he has plenty of reasons to be happy. He recently won the 2009 Detroit Free Press Restaurant of the Year award for his newest restaurant, Roast, in Detroit.

Chef Symon also stays busy with his two other successful restaurants here in Cleveland: Lola, on E. 4th Street and Lolita, in Tremont. Clevelanders are lucky to have him here, but since he's also an Iron Chef and has made a number of appearances on the Food Network, he is now known far beyond the reaches of the city that rocks.

Even though he had just returned from a charity event in LA and a lengthy afternoon meeting, Chef Symon still took time out of his hectic schedule to chat with Cool Cleveland correspondent Jennifer Boresz at Lola on E. 4th Street. Watch the video as he talks about how Cleveland inspires his culinary style, the future of the ever-growing dining scene and what's next for this on the move chef. Check out http://www.LolaBistro.com on E. 4th Street, and Lolita in Tremont, and http://www.RoastDetroit.com in Detroit for reservations, "Eat More Meat" t-shirts, and Michael's blog Symon Says.

(:divend:)