Scott Campbell's success as a restaurateur comes from a lot more than business savvy and the ability to turn out great food for his diners. Watching him at work in his Columbus Avenue restaurant, stopping to wave to passersby and talk to regulars, and listening to him discuss the programs through which the restaurant reaches out to the community at large, is to understand how committed he is to both building a relationship with his diners and creating a place in New York's culinary community.

Born in Grosse Point, Michigan, and drawn to the restaurant industry at an early age, Campbell moved to New York in 1982 to be at the center of what he saw as the country's culinary revolution. He landed a job at the Plaza Hotel's Oak Room and began attending Peter Kump's nascent cooking school (now ICE) as a work-study student. The heady list of luminaries Campbell assisted and worked with through the school includes Madeleine Kamman, Jim Petersen, Dianne Kennedy, Pat Wells and Nick Malgeiri.

Campbell moved on to Windows on the World after graduation, a restaurant that at the time probably symbolized the philosophy of new American dining better than any other. The young chef also worked Union Square Café, another pioneer in American cuisine, and would add Le Cirque, Joachin Splichal's QV, and Montrachet to his resume throughout the 1980s.

In 1990, Campbell opened American regional restaurant Vince & Eddies as executive chef/partner, and in 1998 opened the bistro-style Avenue with a greater ownership share. He set out with wife and partner Linda Campbell to open the 90-seat @SQC on Columbus Avenue in 2001, devising an eclectic, comforting menu that he describes as "contemporary American, with influences." Citing Peter Kump as their inspiration, Scott and Linda have used their restaurant to bring the culinary community together, hosting an ambitious series of events, including @SQC Live, a free program of demonstrations by cookbook authors. Information on upcoming programs can be found at www.sqcnyc.com.

January, 2004