You gotta have good olive oil. You should have a cooking olive oil and you should have a finishing olive oil, like an extra-virgin olive oil.

My food is Louisiana, New Orleans-based, well-seasoned, rustic. I think it's pretty unique because of my background being influenced by my mom, Portuguese and French Canadian. There's a lot going on there.

If you don't follow your dream, who will?

I spent a lot of time on farms when I was young. My uncle and my dad owned a big farm.

The world has changed, and it's almost been 11 years. I have 975 employees. I have six restaurants. We haven't opened any new ones in almost three years.

Everyone needs a mentor.

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