That without experimentation, a willingness to ask questions and try new things, we shall surely become static, repetitive, moribund.

Meals make the society, hold the fabric together in lots of ways that were charming and interesting and intoxicating to me. The perfect meal, or the best meals, occur in a context that frequently has very little to do with the food itself.

A burger is something anyone can do, just follow the rules.

I'm of a generation that romanticizes and maybe even over-romanticized things that were painful, that hurt others. I feel that. But I don't know if I have any regrets.

I'm a control freak. If you're going to slap my name on something, I would like to control it.

When I was writing 'Kitchen Confidential,' I was in my 40s, I had never paid rent on time, I was 10 years behind on my taxes, I had never owned my own furniture or a car.

When you have a child you're no longer the star of the movie.