Restaurateur Bruno Serato shares the story behind publishing "Temptation at the White House," and his thoughts on enjoying life.

The new cookbook "Temptation at the White House" contains no pictures of eager women flashing their thongs. Instead, it's filled with beautiful men.

Here's a blond with bangs long, like a surfer's, lips parted inches from a spoon of glistening salmon roe. Another topless man drops spaghetti all over his chest. Then there's Mr. Mussels on Muscles. There's one for every mood.

The mastermind behind this is Bruno Serato, owner of Anaheim White House, who spent close to $100,000 to publish the full-color, 136-page book. About 1,000 of 5,000 books have been sold since the book launch on May 24.

Oh yes, there are recipes here, too – Italian classics from Serato and his executive chef Eddie Meza. We chatted with Serato at his restaurant.

SqueezeOC: What gave you the idea of a cookbook with sensual photos of bare-chested men?

Serato: When you do a cookbook, you make a statement about your own restaurant. This year is my 20th anniversary.

I did research in the last two years on the cookbooks out there, and they're all the same. When I do something, I always like to do something different from the rest of the restaurateurs. I came up with the idea to put food and sensuality together, which for me, is a part of dining out.

Usually when you go to a fine dining restaurant, you put your best dress on, you put makeup on. You try to look hot and sensual because you have a special night out, a birthday, or an anniversary, or a date.

Originally I started to pick girls. I wanted girls to be part of the book. But when I put the photos together, they did not match. I consulted with a few friends, and all agreed – do girls alone, or do guys alone. I did more research. 85 percent of people who buy cookbooks are women. And that was the answer.

SqOC: Are you thinking also of marketing the book to the gay community?

Serato: Obviously, the gay community is going to love it. We got a few phone calls from a few gay magazines all over the country.

SqOC: You've been a restaurateur all your life. How did you convince people like celebrity photographer Greg Gorman, and members of the U.S. Volleyball team, to take part in the cookbook?

Serato: When you're a restaurateur for 20 years, you meet thousands of people. If you're a good restaurateur, these people will be there when you need them. When I called Greg Gorman, who was a customer first, and got to be a great friend, he understood my project. He said, "Bruno, I'm there for you. I know how much you do for the community."

One thing not too many people know is I have an American soldier in the book. He was ambushed in Baghdad, in Iraq, and was clinically dead for 48 seconds in Baghdad. They were able to get him back to life. I met him through a friend of a friend. He's the one who's holding the mushroom with the fork.

SqOC: You've helped the Boys & Girls Clubs of Anaheim quite a bit. You deliver free meals every night. Through Caterina's Girls Club, you've helped to raise over a quarter million dollars, some of which you used to buy a van to transport kids to and from the motels where they live. What has motivated you to do so much for them?

Serato: When you start to go there, and see (the kids), you start to realize what they need. We all should do something. It's thanks to my customers I'm able to do what we do. I get checks in the mail – $5,000, $20,000 – from people I don't even know.

SqOC: I think these two images of you are very interesting: One is a man who very generously gives to children. The other is one who came up with this very erotic cookbook.

Serato: Denzel Washington is the same thing too. Erotic man, and he does a lot!

SqOC: In the introduction, you talk about growing up poor in France, and then in Italy, arriving in California with $200 in your pocket, and working your way up from busboy, to owning your own restaurant. This is the American dream, right? You've given us the highlights. What are some of the low points?

Serato: Lowest point is when I see some of my customers whom I love so much don't come back. I don't have a really low point in my entire life. If you fall, you are able to stand up again, you will never have a low point in your life. This is me.

SqOC: From age 14 to 20, you helped out at your mom's restaurant in Italy every day. The "day off" was Sunday afternoon between 2 and 5 p.m. When you started the restaurant, you also worked 8 a.m. to 2 a.m. What's your schedule like now?

Serato: It's still a minimum of 12 hours a day, six days a week.

SqOC: A lot of dishes in your dining room are named after Hollywood or high fashion figures. In February this year, you gave away a $10,000 custom diamond and sapphire encrusted necklace for Valentine's Day. You have this talent for flamboyance. Where did you get that from?

Serato: My father. He was well known as a womanizer – I don't know if you should write that. He had seven kids, loved my mom. People adored him because he was always an outgoing personality.

We didn't grow up with taboos in the house. We always came up with crazy things between brother and sister, for fun with Mom and Dad. The way I do things, the way I prepare things, I do the same style my family taught me to do.

SqOC: Where do you live?

Serato: Huntington Beach. I live alone.

SqOC: All this time you had no time to find a mate?

Serato: I do have a mate of seven years. Perfect relationship. Unbelievable. I would not change the relationship. You have to make time for yourself, and when you're in my business, most of the time, you find that later in life in business.

SqOC: Do you regret some of that? Putting so many hours in your business that you have no time for your personal life?

Serato: No. I didn't want to. Through my business, I meet thousands of people. When the right person comes at the right time, that's what's important.


"Temptation at the White House: A Cookbook by Bruno Serato"
Price: $39.95
Where to buy: Available now at anaheimwhitehouse.com or at the restaurant at 887 S. Anaheim Blvd., 714-772-1381. Also available starting mid-July at amazon.com and in Barnes & Noble stores.