I hope my guests come away from my dinners with a new outlook on how they're using and not using the food in their kitchens," says Perlsweig, who sports rose-hued hair and obligatory industry-inspired ink. "It makes me happy to hear that a former guest made carrot top pesto or was inspired by a dish of mine. Change is hard. If I can move the dial, however small, in the right direction, then I feel like I've done my job.