I'm comfortable in my own skin. I know I'm not going to ever be Cindy Crawford or Elle MacPherson.

I count on chiropractic sessions to keep my body aligned. Standing for hours can impact my posture, and that can throw the rest of my body out of whack. Acupuncture helps me relax and release stress. I'm also very into massage to help release tension in my back, neck, and shoulders.

I have been blessed with a good, fun, and wonderful life, but I've also seen a whole lot of pain.

I'm actually a very shy person, which is why I always chose to be in the kitchen. You can make people happy and entertain them, without really being there. You can make a very short appearance and then say, 'I've got something on the stove, gotta go!

Stock up your pantry and your freezer with things that aren't perishable: Your favorite jar of tomato sauce that lists "tomato" as the first ingredient, lots of grains, olive oils, vinegars, tomato pastes, onions, shallots. When you go to the store, you only have to pick up meats and produce.

It's almost ingrained in people that, just like you can't be a smart model, you can't be a good-looking cook.

I think you can tell the food is close to my heart, too, because I'm doing what I do best.