JACK WAGNER IS COMPLETELY AT HOME IN THE KITCHEN—AND NOT JUST HIS OWN

Famous for playing memorable men—think cop Frisco Jones on General Hospital, Dr. Peter Burns on Melrose Place and the title characters of Broadway's Jekyll & Hyde—Jack Wagner knows the way to female fans' hearts. The actor, who plans to enjoy some downtime between jobs, has a way for average Joes to make an impression with women: "I'd suggest learning how to cook," he says.
     It's worked for him. When the actor is at home in California with his wife, Kristina (GH's Felicia), and their sons, Petey, nine, and Harrison, five, he prepares most meals. Wagner is, as he puts it, "a big grill guy," who makes burgers for everyday dinners and fish for intimate ones with his wife ("She loves romance," he says). To add some seductive touches, he recommends candles, a bottle of Chardonnay and tunes by Frank Sinatra.
     When he's in New York City, Wagner lets his friend Salvatore Coppola (no relation to Francis Ford), owner of Coppola's Italian restaurants, do the cooking. "When I started my stint in Jekyll & Hyde back in January, I was probably here five nights a week," says Wagner about his pal's East Twenty-seventh Street restaurant—a quick cab ride (depending on traffic) from the original West Seventy-ninth Street location. "I'd come for a meal, a glass of wine and to chill. It's nice to come to a place where you feel comfortable."
     It's also nifty to hang out at a restaurant where the owner will give a pal a cooking lesson. And while the pro shows Wagner how to make blackened salmon and sautéed spinach, he shares these tips to make dining special.
* Be mad about hue. At Coppola's, tables are set with white cloths, but plates and bowls come in eye-catching colors: burgundy, yellow and green. "It really adds to the atmosphere," says Coppola.
* Play favorites. Coppola makes it his business to know what his patrons eat. To wow people come mealtime, fix them what they really love, he advises.
* Jazz up every dish. At Coppola's, meals are dressed to look their best. A simple sprig of mint gives ice cream or sorbet natural pizzazz.
To see Jack Wagner in action in the kitchen, watch the TV Guide Celebrity Dish special on the Food Network July 12, 15 and 16.