I think many cooks are afraid of undercooked meats. A good thermometer is a cook's best friend.

My office in New York is overflowing with all kinds of cookbooks, and in New Orleans we have a huge culinary library. So yeah, I guess I'm a little bit obsessed.

My philosophy from day one is that I can sleep better at night if I can improve an individual's knowledge about food and wine, and do it on a daily basis.

Spain has some of the richest culinary traditions and truly appreciates food that is simply prepared with top-notch ingredients.

Music is one of those things that is constantly going in my head all the time. It's sort of like the evolution and creation of doing food, or my philosophy about wine. It's always beating in my head, so it keeps the spirit moving.

If somebody has a chance to put my food in their mouth, that tells the story.

My favorite Aspen memory is saving an upside-down cake that had exploded from the high altitude.