You see new shows coming out with the same format, slightly high end, a little bit more glossy. You think, "S - . It's just the same s - but different day."

[Long Island] is buoyant, it's on the outskirts of Manhattan, and so they have access to phenomenal restaurants.

I'm not trying to take New York by storm. I just want to sneak in there, keep my head down, batten down the hatches and cook.

There's a side to reality TV that is part education, as well. I've seen that since doing "MasterChef Junior," in terms of the effect it has on the confidence given these young kids from 8 to 13, a quality life skill. Even if they never pursue cooking as a job or a career, just learning how to cook for yourself sets you up in a good place.

Stay with what's happening locally. It's really important.

However amazing a dish looks, it is always the taste that lingers in your memory. Family and friends will appreciate a meal that tastes superb-even if you've brought the pan to the table.

First of all, when you build a restaurant of that phenomenon-I really hate that word "set" and I hate the word "cast" -it is from the most amazing health and hygiene ... properly air conditioned, properly irrigated with hot and cold running water... Obviously, FOX is paying for it, so in terms of expenditure it's far more economical and on the back of the draw were 22,500 cast. Finding 30 chefs in that bunch wasn't difficult.