The bad part about being recognized is that when I walk into a restaurant and sit down, I've got to eat everything on the plate, whether it's good or bad. People would take it as an insult if I did otherwise.

I believe in America. I'm one of those silly flag wavers.

If you have acid in food, you need to sugar it. At a high temperature, the acids are changed to sugar.

You don't need a silver fork to eat good food.

We're working people, and that's what we like to do, work.

In '71 or '72 I returned to New Orleans and stayed there. I started cooking Louisiana food. Of all the things I had cooked, it was the best-and it was my heritage.

We closed the restaurant in New Orleans and brought the entire staff to San Francisco. But we had to go home.