If something is nice about you, usually one or two people will tell you. If something is foul about you, everyone will tell you.

If something is nice about you, usually one or two people will tell you. If something is foul about you, everyone will tell you.

To be asked to do the pairing menus by Alamos Wineries in Argentina [was the most interesting opportunity]. There are so many chefs out there, and so if you were to say, "The dude who used to host Man V. Food is doing pairing for Jim Beam," you'd say, "Okay, that's kind of conceivable." If you're talking about the dude from Man V. Food is doing pairings for fine wine, then I think people might not necessarily anticipate that.

There are soccer athletes that are known the world over except in the U.S. Thierry Henry, for example.

People also respected my culinary acumen and my intelligence, and that was their whole thing. They flew me over, and it was this immersive experience.

I thought maybe I would be everyone's favorite dude-food friend.

I'll go to a restaurant where I've never been before, and someone will say, "I don't have anything big for you to eat." I used to be a little salty about that, but at the end of the day, what they're saying is, "I know who you are. I watch your stuff." What's better than that? Gratitude is the attitude. That's the thing. What am I being pissy about?