If you think big, then it's going to be big.

Growing up in New England, being schooled and classically trained, it needed to shake, it needed to evolve.

Spice is life. It depends upon what you like... have fun with it. Yes, food is serious, but you should have fun with it.

When I cook with my son, I might chop vegetables and have fun with different shapes. Cooking is a way to teach kids about other things, like reading or math with all of the weights and measures. There are so many things that are part of cooking that are also very educational.

A lot of parents ask me how to get kids to eat more vegetables. The first thing I say is that it starts from the top.

I think you have to be careful with spices. Kids' palates can be very delicate, and they might not like things overspiced. In my cookbooks for kids, I do a milder version of my signature spice blend, Emeril's Essence, called Baby Bam, which has no cayenne pepper.

I'm working harder than ever now, and I'm putting on my pants the same as I always have. I just get up every day and try to do a little better than the day before, and that is to run a great restaurant with great food, great wine, and great service. That's my philosophy.