Soups are a great way to introduce a lot of vegetables to kids. Stir-fries, too, because they contain so many different shapes and colors.

Food is very representative of a city's culture. In order to really get to know a place and the people, you've got to eat the food.

I have a lot of influences. I'm American-schooled. I'm classically trained. I'm a pretty universal student, if you will. I have a lot of degrees, which really don't pay the rent. I have two doctorate degrees, I have a bachelor's degree, but I'm still a cook.

We'll be going to the fish market and a farmer's market this afternoon to get what we need to make and eat dinner as a family. I'm trying to expose my kids to going to a farmers market or the fish market and learning what that's all about.

I love to cook; that's my passion.

Whether it's books or TV, or whatever the case may be, the backbone of what I do is my restaurants.

I think you've got to keep it simple, keep it fresh. Stay away from all that processed stuff, read the labels.