The Predawn Chowdown - NYTimes.com Marcus Nilsson for The New York Times At 2 a.m., it's almost impossible to say no to spicy. Clockwise from top left: Spicy 3-Minute Calamari, Penne All'Arrabbiata and Spicy Shrimp Sauté. After up to 10 hours of standing with virtually no breaks and no real nourishment, there are generally two options for a famished team of chefs, cooks, waiters, bussers, porters and everyone else it takes to run a restaurant. Otto's executive chef, Dan Drohan, prepares Batali's spicy creations. In Option 1, a cook on the line will whip up something fast and delicious - often a spicy pasta that people can eat out of plastic quart containers as they clean up their kitchen stations. This usually happens in places where the cooks can have a shift drink or two. In Option 2, which is usually the routine in places like mine, where the staff members are not permitted alcohol in the restaurant, everyone heads out in groups and congregates at another restaurant - usually one where cold beer is served. The most common choice is an inexpensive place in Chinatown or a Latin neighborhood, where service is quick and informal. Occasionally we head to a more traditional restaurant with a particular specialty, like sandwiches, pizza, Korean barbecue. I've noticed that kitchen workers always seem to like raw bars. The first order of business is the crucial component of, shall we say, rehydration. Thirst after a hot and sweaty shift is well earned and often slaked quickly and continuously till closing time with cold beer, sake or good-value wine. Keep in mind that often this rehydration is really the only thing on the chefs" minds, depending on where the evening falls in the pay cycle. Sometimes the evening starts out as just drinking and continues that way into the early morning, when we end up at someone's apartment and start preparing spicy dishes. Cooks and chefs rarely tire of cooking, and making dinner for friends on a day off, or making a late-night snack for a couple of co-workers, is often a pleasure and never a task. But when you're starting dinner after midnight, it's best to keep things uncomplicated. These - penne all'arrabbiata, spicy shrimp sauté and spicy 3-minute calamari - are some of my late-night favorites. Mario Batali is a chef, restaurateur and One-Page Magazine columnist.