I wanted to share my life story and honor my roots. I am very proud of my family and mother.

There really is a camaraderie among chefs and a willingness to help out whenever we can.

Be curious, learn and read as much as you can about food. Don't worry about making money. Focus on learning at various venues before you settle down for a steady position.

I can now focus on a huge audience through TV, books, cookware and foods.

It is important to experiment and endlessly seek after creating the best possible flavours when preparing foods. That means not being afraid to experiment with various ingredients

There are many great wine producers from all over the world making fantastic wines. Italian wines especially are making an enormous comeback after sometimes being labeled as inexpensive jug wines.

I was pleasantly surprised after the book came out. It was like, hey, the home team put down a nice score.