Vegetables to me are - I don't want to say the most exciting part of cooking, but certainly a very exciting part of cooking, because they continue to change. They come into season and they go through different phases.

Any job worth doing is worth doing well. But to be able to do that, you have to do it over and over again.

Larousse is an invaluable tool for any cook. I've used this great resource all throughout my cooking career, and of course I look forward to the new edition. New information and knowledge are always welcome.

Repetition is the mother of perfection. If there is true perfection, it's about doing something over and over again. I truly think that if somebody does a recipe they've never done before and gets it right, they're probably more lucky than they are talented.

And don't forget music - music in the kitchen is an essential ingredient!

A kaiseki meal is like that, very small courses over a long period of time.

I think that you’ve got to make something that pleases you and hope that other people feel the same way.