Home base is the support system where we have a culinary team, my own writers because of the shows and the books and stuff, we have a culinary team of about six people. Marketing, public relations, accounting and all that sort of stuff.

Kids are now eating things like edamame and sushi. I didn't know what shiitake mushrooms were when I was 10 - most kids today do.

You are going to be what you put in your body, so I try to teach that to my kids, and the kids around me.

Mom ran the house, so we grew up Portuguese.

I ended up turning down a full scholarship of music at the conservatory to pay to go to cooking school.

Books make great gifts because they expand your horizons and keep you cooking.

I'm pretty actively involved with the military because I think they're incredible human beings. If I can give back to them for what they're doing for us, it's a good thing. And I think to have happy soldiers, you need to feed them well.