It’s Monday, people. The word of the day is ambition.

Your inspiration: Sascha Lyon, the David Foster Wallace of chefs.

Other former sous-chefs might play it safe for their first solo outing. Not Lyon. His, appropriately (if immodestly) named Sascha, opens today. And it’s the culinary equivalent of a 1,000-page first novel.

Ten thousand square feet. Three floors. A bakery. Cafe downstairs serving Jewish deli and tavern fare. Grand dining room for 100 upstairs. Private dining. Lyon is hoping to create the Holy Grail of NYC eating: an unpretentious fine dining experience.

And he’s done it all just around the corner from his last big-shoes-to-fill stomping ground, Pastis. (No wonder it’s opening four months late.)

The place has a turn-of-the-century feeling, and everything beautiful, especially the giant bar on the ground floor (discovered in a Harlem basement) and the cozy banquettes upstairs.

Destined to be a bestseller?

That’s entirely up to you.

Sascha, 55 Gansevoort Street, between Ninth Avenue and Washington Street (212-989-1920 or sascharestaurant.com).