I, personally, think there is a really danger of taking food too seriously. Food should be part of the bigger picture.

I think it's important if you're going to write a cookbook, it should sound like you talking - it should be things you actually believe, otherwise I'm not interested.

I'm not impressed by any cooks who can brag about a filet mignon. A guy who can take the neck of a shank or can use tripe to make into something delicious is really interesting to me; that's impressive.

In America, there might be better gastronomic destinations than New Orleans, but there is no place more uniquely wonderful.

Even on the Serengeti, it ain't a barbecue if there ain't some kind of beer.

As Americans, we tend to look at Mexican food as nachos, which is not Mexican food really - they don't eat them.

In Italy, kids are taken to restaurants very early, they're welcome there, and they learn how to behave. You don't see a lot of screaming crying kids acting out in a restaurant in Italy. They don't put up with that.