I can’t talk about anything or write about anything if I don’t understand it. So a lot of the stuff that I go through and a lot of the time that I spend is understanding.

My first book is really about heat. That book, for me, was an exploration of heat as ingredient. Why we don't talk about heat as an ingredient, I don't quite understand, because it is the common ingredient to all cooking processes.

I spent a college semester in a small town in Italy - and that is where I truly tasted food for the first time.

The way to any woman's heart, be she witch or Wonderwoman, princess or Pocahontas, is through her stomach.

I love poking fun at myself. I have a rather mean sense of humor.

There are no bad foods, only bad food habits.

I grill almost all of my fish with the skin on because that gives you real protection at least on one side. It's a nice barrier against super high heat which tends to make a lot of fish to turn really flaky. It's very easy to overcook fish on the grill. But I still brush it with oil before I start.