There's something not normal about you if you're writing a book about yourself, or about anything. And if you're the kind of person who can deal with being recognized by strangers and if that's tolerable or pleasing to you, and not immediately terrifying, that's not normal either.

Turning your nose up at a genuine and sincere gesture of hospitality is no way to travel or to make friends around the world.

In that sense, what a great way to live, if you could always do things that interest you, and do them with people who interest you.

There are chefs who are spectacular technicians, and often their food is worth eating once or twice, but if there's no heart in it, if there's no personality in it, it's not something you want to go back for. But heart without any skill at all? All the heart in the world ain't gonna help you if you can't peel an onion, or if you don't understand how to apply heat properly. A well-done steak is a well-done steak.

If you get an opportunity to work with David Simon, anybody with good taste would.

There's always this assumption that you're going to get everything right immediately. And any professional understands that that's just not so.

I’m a Twitter addict. Jose Andres is a serial tweeter. It’s funny to see which chefs have embraced it, and the different paths they take.