"I hid myself in food."

"I think every chef, not just in America, but across the world, has a double-edged sword - two jackets, one that's driven, a self-confessed perfectionist, thoroughbred, hate incompetence and switch off the stove, take off the jacket and become a family man."

"I suppose your security is your success and your key to success is your fine palate."

"The pressure on young chefs today is far greater than ever before in terms of social skills, marketing skills, cooking skills, personality and, more importantly, delivering on the plate. So you need to be strong. Physically fit. So my chefs get weighed every time they come into the kitchen."

"The conventional definition of management is getting work done through people, but real management is developing people through work."

"Creative ideas flourish best in a shop which preserves some spirit of fun. Nobody is in business for fun, but that does not mean there cannot be fun in business."

"I would say readers can trust my work more than anyone else's."

"I never expect to see a perfect work from an imperfect man."