I grew up in the kitchen, mostly with my grandfather, my mother and my aunt Raffy.

Every time I think I have something under control, it changes and I don't have it under control. I think it takes several years to get there. Jade is 19 months old, so right now I'm on alert all the time. And as a mom I think you're constantly worrying about things.

I don't eat a lot of anything. A little bit of everything, but not a lot of everything. Small meals all day long.

Talking to other people while you're cooking, it doesn't come naturally.

Any time you do anything different in this life, it's risky. But I've only done things differently, and it's gotten me quite far. If you want to make a splash, you've got to step out on that ledge and jump. And I could land flat on my face and it would be the biggest nightmare of my life. I'm willing to risk it. I want to help change the way male chefs see females. I want to show them that, yes, we're emotional and, yes, sometimes we make irrational decisions, but we're passionate about what we do, and that passion will propel us to the next level.

I love to do yoga, even if it means getting up at 5:30 in the morning. It helps me breathe and stop all the chatter in my head. That can help you get through everything.

In order to keep your husband, you have to make time for him. Rather than going out to dinner, I like to spend time for just the two of us.