Marcel Desaulniers, the best-read most retired Guru of Ganache

Marcel has always loved what he does - whether it is orchestrating food for a world-class restaurant, writing cookbooks, or running a chocolate cafe'. You could say the same thing about his retirement. After being in the restaurant business for 55 years, starting as a 15-year-old dishwasher at a supper club (the only break being his service in the Marines during the Vietnam War), he deserves to take it easy.

A history buff, Marcel has read 15 books since we sold MAD about Chocolate in January, including Valiant Ambitions about the rivalry between George Washington and Benedict Arnold, War of Two about the duel between Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr, a book about General Sherman, and Texas Ranger about the man who caught Bonnie and Clyde. Don't think he has dropped all things culinary . . . he is currently reading Eating Apes about the black market for monkey meat (and chimps, et al), in Africa. And he finished in one day Unlikable about Hillary Clinton. This in no way discloses his political preferences, of course.

But lucky for me - the artist who hates to cook, Chef Marcel loves fixing us lunch. The retired Guru of Ganache creates mostly vegetarian - my favorite being pasta with fresh tomatoes, fennel, arugula, and other fresh vegetables.

No . . . ape meat is not on the menu.