I'm not sure that some of the food purists are in touch with what really goes on in American households.

I like to create what I call 'tablescapes.' It's so much more fun when you organize your table around a theme, don't you think?

If you've attended the Cordon Bleu, you would know that no woman is supposed to be a chef - only men.

You don't need to be born with a silver spoon to reach for the brass ring

I like doing food as a focal point on my table. It is not like going out and buying flowers or candles, which are expensive.

My audience knows me, and I wear beautiful clothes as a badge of honor. They remember where I came from.

Lack of sleep makes me less productive. I need a good seven or eight hours a night.