In this occasional series, we go behind the scenes and see how chefs work in their own, home kitchens, what's essential and what inspires them.

For Terry Letson, chef and owner of Fum Bistro in Napa, turning out 75,000 meals a year is nothing compared to cooking breakfast for his four children.

"It's like a diner here on weekends and he's the short order cook," said Letson's wife, artist Sheri DeBow. "We have four kids and they all want something different. Terry gives them what they want. One might want pancakes and the others omelets, one likes them fluffy and one likes them flat. He'll cook them to order."

Letson laughed and insisted it's nothing special.

"We do breakfast huge, but that's how it should be," said Letson, 45. "... I came from a family of eight kids, so cooking for three or four is no big deal."

The couple's children range in age from 18 months to 14 years, with another baby on the way. They recently had a 1,000 square foot addition to their house constructed to contain all the kids and their various toys and equipment.

Bowing to DeBow's artistic talent, their Napa home is a bright, cheerful space awash in color. DeBow's art, both canvas paintings and three-dimensional, whimsical depictions of subjects such as acrobats, brides and children, adorn the walls and cabinets.

The chef's home kitchen is modest and opens to a family room.

"The thing that's most different in cooking in a restaurant and at home is the heat," said Letson. "I miss the restaurant amount of heat and it makes cooking incredibly different. Our oven is good for, oh, baking cookies. When we remodel the kitchen, I'd like a restaurant grade stove."

Letson is originally from Southern California, and DeBow grew up in both Pasadena and Napa and attended Vintage High School. The couple has been married for two years.

He started working in restaurants at age 15 as a dishwasher and is proud to say that he's worked every position in the business. He attended Epicurean Cooking School in Los Angeles, owned two successful restaurants and a boutique wine shop before moving to Napa.

"I decided to move when the traffic and smog got to be too much," said Letson. "I wanted a better lifestyle and targeted three areas to investigate, Lake Tahoe, Portland and Napa. I went to Tahoe in June and there was three feet of snow on the ground. That got redlined. Every time I went to Portland it was sunny, but I watched the paper and it rained for three solid months. I was wary of Napa Valley because I'd vacationed here and it's not the same when you live in a place that you'd visited. It was the food and wine mecca, but on the other side, the chefs in the valley were those I'd grown up emulating. They write cookbooks that I studied and I'd be living among them."

He put his trepidation aside and moved to Napa. Realizing that the restaurant community is a tight one, he decided to get the lay of the land before opening his own establishment.

"I worked at Bistro Don Giovanni, Domaine Chandon and Deuce," said Letson. "Even though I'd owned restaurants before, that didn't mean I could come into town and open my own."

Four years ago, he found the right location on Byway East in Napa, the site of the former Flying Boar restaurant. He partnered with John and Laura Bremer of the Bremer Family Winery and set about transforming the place into Fum Bistro.

"John and Laura are the best partners I could ask for," said Letson. "I'd met them at another of my restaurants and they said if I ever did anything else, they'd like to be involved. It took a year to remodel Fum from start to finish and I was working at the same time. It had been six or more restaurants before and as we remodeled we kept finding remnants of previous restaurants. It's in a funny spot; it's definitely a destination, but we offer good food at a good price."

To make it more visible from Highway 29, they opened up the building with more windows and a defined patio. He uses DeBow's colorful artwork to make the decor friendly.

"Half a successful restaurant is the food, the other half is the service, ambiance, decor, parking and so on," said Letson. "People want good food for the money at any price point. The staff, decor and art can change, but the food must be consistently good."

Most of his staff of 35 has been with him a long time, some of the kitchen staff have been there since it opened.

"The people who work for me share the same passion for good food, front and back. That's where I've been lucky. We're really fortunate with the people we have. I'd describe myself as easygoing. We all spend way too much time of our life working, if you don't enjoy what you're doing, you should get out. We don't keep people around who don't."

DeBow smiled at her husband. "He's really patient with people who are trying. I'm always amazed at how much his staff loves him. Because he has such a wonderful staff, I can have my husband at home."

Letson said his biggest challenge is balance.

"Both sides are demanding as a chef and owner. I could spend every moment there and here at home. If I didn't have such a great staff I wouldn't be able to spend time here. I'm always there on weekends. For the busiest times, we have the A team. I work a 60-hour week, but try to do more days than nights."

The name Fum means "smoke" in Spanish and French and Letson thought it appropriate since the restaurant always has a wood-burning oven going.

Is there another Fum on the horizon?

"I don't know if there'd be another Fum, but there's another restaurant in the future," said Letson. "I'd like it to be in Napa. The town of Napa dictates it. If there's an abundance of restaurants, I'll wait until it's right. Now, Fum is my focus and it's doing great."

He calls the cuisine "American," because they do a little bit of everything.

"We didn't want to be a structured restaurant where you couldn't cross boundaries. It's a little Italian, French, which is my background, and that creates a great foundation for all foods. We can be totally creative. The menu evolves with the season, although some entrees never leave. Napa is a great market with fresh, seasonal products."

Being a family man has affected Letson's work in other ways. Fum Bistro added Sunday brunch when his family couldn't find a good spot for brunch after church.

"I asked him to add cheese blintzes because they are my favorite and my mom's favorite when Terry makes them here at home," said DeBow. "They're delicious."

Letson said he's more of a savory guy.

"But now I balance sweet and savory at the restaurant."

His immediate goal is to take Fum Bistro to the next level.

"Fum has one more step to become a part of Napa. Fum is stepping up. We're all about catering to locals and they'll send the tourists. The thing I like best about having my own restaurant is the freedom of doing my passion and making it a reality. That's also a huge burden. When you set the bar high, there's no going back."