America has undergone a total food and wine revolution.

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

Italian food is all about ingredients and it's not fussy and it's not fancy.

One of the things I've found now, not just for television, but in the restaurant, is that you have many anxious chefs, who know how to cook twenty recipes really well, but they don't have a good foundation for other things.

I like the Japanese knives, I like French knives. Whatever's sharp.

Young people want to be famous before they know how to cook, before they know how to treat people, before they know what hospitality means. I stayed in France for seven years and Austria for three, so before I was a chef anywhere I was already cooking for 10 years.

New Yorkers think they have everything, all the best art and music. But really L.A. is a better place.