Hopefully, imparting what's important to me, respect for the food and that information about the purveyors, people will realize that for a restaurant to be good, so many pieces have to come together.

Once you understand the foundations of cooking - whatever kind you like, whether it's French or Italian or Japanese - you really don't need a cookbook anymore.

I think that's the important thing - being aware of that inspiration and being able to interpret it into something that's meaningful for you.

I drank more wine when I wasn't working as much, to be honest.

I have no formal culinary training, right.

I can make dough in a machine faster than I can make it by hand, but I want to make it by hand, because I want to remember the way it feels. It's so important for me to make it by hand - whether it's a pasta dough or a pâte brisée. You become involved in it. You become personal with it. For me it's such a wonderful way to get satisfaction and gratification when I'm cooking.

For me, thats one of the important things about cooking. What was good enough yesterday may not be good enough today.