Everybody these days wants to be a star, including myself. Don't get me wrong, I'm a chef but you want to market yourself and your projects.

Days off are few and far between in the restaurant business. But on an hour off, I like to have a glass of wine with my wife.

A plate of food has to have balance. For example, a mild fish like skate mustnt be overwhelmed by the side dishes. They should have personality and color, but they also have to be subtle.

When you have a chef that wants to be in the spotlight, maybe after one or two appearances on a show, they think they're at a certain level that they haven't reached yet in the kitchen. Shows like 'Top Chef', 'Hell's Kitchen' have helped bring attention to the culinary world.

I begin my day online and end my day online. I like to prepare myself for the next day and have a sense of closure before I go to bed.

Determine who you are and what your brand is, and what youre not. The rest of it is just a lot of noise.

I've been working in boutique hotels my whole life.