Chefs' favorite Halloween candy. Dorling Kindersley/Getty Images

When they’re not preparing fancy meals or getting ready for dinner service, chefs enjoy a little candy, too.  Here, a few of your favorite celebrity chefs share with us their favorite candy to kick-off Halloween.    What’s your favorite Halloween candy?

Chef: Sara Moulton

About: Host of “Sara’s Weeknight Meals” and author of “Sara’s Everyday Family Dinners”

Favorite candy: Peanut M&Ms

Why: I love the combo of flavors, but also the contrast of textures. Love that crunchy outer shell and inner peanut.

Chef: Alex Guarnaschelli

About: Host of Food Network’s “Alex’s Day Off” and competitor on Next Iron Chef

Favorite candy: Hershey’s Krackel

Why: For Halloween, I really love Hershey’s Krackel the best. Those simple Hershey bars really take me back to my childhood. I used to weed out all the Special Darks and hoard all the Krackels.

Chef: Richard Blais

About: “Top Chef All-Stars” winner, Executive Chef The Spence (Atlanta Jan/Feb 2012)

Favorite candy: Circus Peanuts

Why: First, circus peanuts adds vintage. I mean who eats circus peanuts any more? Second, they remind me of my youth. My grandmother always had them around, so there’s nostalgia there. And the texture is so airy and yet chewy, true molecular gastronomy. They also remind me of a Chardonnay. Don’t ask, just some chardonnays remind me of circus peanuts. You can say honeysuckle and oak, but I say circus peanut. Oh, and they are orange. That’s cool too.

Chef: Claire Thomas

About: Host of “Food For Thought” with Claire Thomas on ABC

Favorite Candy: Kit Kats

Why: This is such a tough one. As a kid I remember having to strategize with my sister to hit the big, dark windowed “no one’s home” houses first because they always left a box of FULL SIZE candy bars out front. There was a sign that said: “Please take one,” but we had to get there early, otherwise the no-costume wearing teenagers would just lift the entire box.  It was a mad dash “amazing race” style to the houses for the full size Kit Kats.

Chef: Dale Talde

Restaurant: TALDE (367 Seventh Avenue, Park Slope, Brooklyn)

Favorite Candy: 100 Grand, Jaw Breakers, Nerds

Why: “100 Grand is my absolute favorite Halloween candy. I love the crispy rice, chewy caramel and chocolate. Also, I love jaw breakers because of the challenge. I’m so impatient and usually try to bust them up so I can get to the next one. Nerds are awesome too, because you get two flavors in a pack and you can combine them, to create another flavor.”

Chef: Bruce & Eric Bromberg

Restaurant: Blue Ribbon (The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas)

Favorite Candy: Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups

Why: “They are sweet and salty and remind me of trick or treating with my brothers growing up in New Jersey.”

Chef: Manuel Trevino

Restaurant: Marble Lane at Dream Downtown (355 West 16 th Street, New York, N.Y. 10014)

Favorite Candy: Sour Gummy Brains

Why: Who couldn’t use an extra brain boost?  I buy big bags of these deliciously spooky cerebrums. The sour cherry flavored candies have a great pucker, and I like to think they make me smarter