Amaral is not shy about his enjoyment at being Lee's protégé. "You get treated like a rock star," he says of being out with his teacher. In our celebrity obsessed culture, where Khloe Kardashien (who?) is apparently gossip worthy, that is somehow not surprising. The two are very close, he tells me, they constantly talk about how to improve the staff and the food. And it's no surprise; many marriages don't even last this long!

Amaral relates that it was a long process to develop the food at Madeline's, where the menu is done with European flare, and dishes are intended to be shared. It seems like an appropriate contrast to the successful Nouvelle Chinoise of Lee down the street. The menu was inspired by their travels, and obviously Lee's extensive cooking experience. But as the Executive Chef - Lee is keeping his eye on the kitchen for now, but come September, Amaral will be left to his devices when Lee's American venture in the Thompson Hotel will draw him away- Amaral's familial influences are seen in the menu. Growing up, he did really watch his mother kill chickens and rabbits; they raised them in a garage beside their house. Every three days, an animal's time would come to an end, as Amaral took a twisted joy in watching their poor fate. He says it simply, like this is an incredibly unremarkable thing to do. But for his family, it was simply a way of making sure everyone was fed cheaply.