Chicago is a lot of my background as a chef.

Don't be afraid to adapt new ingredients into your own techniques, and traditional ingredients into new recipes.

I have experienced a tremendous amount of personal and professional growth, and I feel incredibly lucky that I'm able to make a career out of doing the things that I love.

If you were a Colombian, you would have your version of an empanada. If you are an Argentinean, you might find a dough that's baked and has a butter sheen on it. And then in Ecuador, you'll find more crispy-fried empanadas. So, yeah, every culture has their own version of empanadas.

I think that a lot of us at home are iron chefs in their own right in that we have to come up with meals real quickly.

From the time I was 8 until now, I've been working. My Social Security is looking solid.

Positivity, that's one of the things I try to spread throughout my company and really anyone I come in contact with. Because as you know, life's too short. You got to keep it positive and keep it fun.