If you aren't nervous about your passion, you aren't passionate about it.
I dropped out of high school. I really had no interest in doing any school work whatsoever.
I don't like to dump the dressing on top of the greens. Instead, I pour it against the side of the bowl - using only enough to glaze the leaves - then toss.
I don't have a long family history of good cooks in my family.
I can't be on the cheeseburger diet all the time.
Grilling takes the formality out of entertaining. Everyone wants to get involved.
Grilling outside with my parents at the Jersey shore. We would grill lobster and corn in the summer.
Go vegetable heavy. Reverse the psychology of your plate by making meat the side dish and vegetables the main course.
For me, it's all about moderation. I don't kick things out of my diet, like carbs. But I'm not going to eat fast food.
Even if the chef has a good business head, his focus should be behind kitchen doors. A business partner should take care of everything in front of the kitchen doors.
Don't try to be the next Rachael Ray or Bobby Flay, we already have those people. We want someone who is going to make their own mark on 'Food Network.'
Do you want to make a tamale with peanut butter and jelly? Go Ahead! Somebody will eat it.
Cooking is a subject you can never know enough about. There is always something new to discover.
Cook ingredients that you are used to cooking by other techniques, such as fish, chicken, or hamburgers. In other words be comfortable with the ingredients you are using.
Charcoal or gas. Both give excellent results, so choose the one that best suits your style of cooking.
Basically, there are two things we know: Everybody has less time, and the general public is demanding better food - better in terms of quality and better in terms of flavor.
An instant-read thermometer is your best bet for making sure that meat and fish are cooked to the proper temperature.
A grill is just a source of heat. Just like a stove, it is very user-friendly.
'The Food Network' was just starting in New York, and I was getting lots of attention from Mesa Grill. They had no money, so if you couldn't get there by subway, you couldn't be on. It wasn't like TV was something I really wanted to do - but I knew it would be great publicity for my restaurants.
Brushes are crucial for applying glazes, sauces, and oils. The pastry brushes that you find in homestores can be pricey so pay a visit to your local hardware store and pick up a few paint brushes which are less expensive and work equally as well.
Chipotles to me are a one-of-a-kind pepper because they're smoked jalapenos, so they're fiery and they're smoky. It's good to use chipotles in salsas or soups or condiments - that works really well. To me, they always really pick up anything you put them in.
Don't underestimate the importance of having enough room to work. Grilling is much more relaxing when you are not trying to juggle a whole collection of plates and bowls as you do it. If your grill doesn't have enough workspace - and they almost never do - set up a table right next to your grill.
Everybody says, 'I have problems overcooking steak on the grill,' but just take it off earlier! Grilling is really common sense. It's very simple. You should think of a grill as a burner - it just happens to have grates. You shouldn't be intimidated by it.
Habaneros have a great fruity flavor, but the challenge is that you have to deflect the heat in order to taste the flavor. If you don't, you're dead. They should really have a warning sign on them. Deflect the habanero's heat by pairing it with sweet food.
I can't grill vegetables, shellfish or steaks without tongs. Don't bother with those long-handled grilling tongs normally found in the BBQ section of your home store. Get intimate with your grill and opt for the regular stainless steel tongs.
