For me, cooking is an expression of the land where you are and the culture of that place.

It's easier being a judge than a competitor. As a judge, you don't have any risks. That makes it much more enjoyable.

Television in the '80s was very limited. There was no Food Network. When I opened Spago, I had the kitchen in the dining hall. It was probably the first restaurant to do so. The dining scene became more casual. All these cooking shows have transformed our profession one-hundred percent.

I won't quit my day job. I like restaurants. I don't do a lot of television, either, even though people come to me with projects all the time. I have to spend time in the kitchen.

I want to give people a basic education, and to help them think for themselves when it comes to food.

It is going to have healthy food and exercise mixed together. With smaller portions, and more exercise, you live a better life.

Collecting cookbooks is still my biggest passion! Believe it or not, I actually got the biggest form of inspiration from my kids. My kids do everything online. They would have their tablets in front of them watching hours upon hours of online videos. I came to understand that these videos were actually teaching my kids lots of different forms of information.