We go through our careers and things happen to us. Those experiences made me what I am.

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

I wanted to write about what we were doing at the French Laundry, the recipes and the stories.

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 wanted to learn everything I could about what it takes to be a great chef. It was a turning point for me.

Respect for food is respect for life, for who we are and what we do.

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.