Chocolate Port Sorbet

The chef Michel Richard spends most of his waking hours running from his French-California restaurant, Citrus, in Los Angeles, to his three less-ambitious French-California restaurants in Santa Barbara, Calif., Washington and Baltimore -- all called Citronelle. He knows he should take a little time for a diet and exercise regimen, but says he's too busy conjuring up ways to make French food more accessible, more casual and more in keeping with what Americans say they want to eat. What Americans say they want to eat (light) and what they actually consume (rich) make life difficult for most chefs. After 15 years working as a pastry chef in the U.S., Mr. Richard determined that what Americans want to eat is light, but with a strong taste. —Marian Burros