I think careful cooking is love, don't you? The loveliest thing you can cook for someone who's close to you is about as nice a valentine as you can give.

The more you know, the more you can create. There's no end to imagination in the kitchen.

You have to eat to cook. You can't be a good cook and be a noneater. I think eating is the secret to good cooking.

I had my first French meal and I never got over it. It was just marvelous. We had oysters and a lovely dry white wine. And then we had one of those lovely scalloped dishes and the lovely, creamery buttery sauce. Then we had a roast duck and I don't know what else.

I always try to buy just what I need. You get ideas as to what's in season and what's best. I think if you have a preconceived idea before shopping, that makes it difficult. You have to have an open mind.

Once you have mastered a technique, you barely have to look at a recipe again

...nothing is too much trouble if it turns out the way it should.