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I want every dish to be a ten.

Whenever we create dishes, we work very carefully and ask ourselves, 'Is there anything on the dish that really doesn't make the dish better?' Then we eliminate that. We try to stay very focused on really showcasing everything on the plate so nothing gets lost.

Every dish doesn't have to be showy, and every dish doesn't have to slap you in the face with technique.

As I mature as a chef, I no longer aim to pack multiple techniques and ingredients into a single dish. Realizing that restraint is more difficult, I find it often renders incredibly beautiful results.

Close your eyes and place your finger on a map. Wherever it lands, that's the theme of the evening. So many times we settle for routine dishes. This forces you to try new cuisines.

I like to add something unusual to a dish.

The wisest advice I ever received regarding the kitchen came from my mother: 'Do the dishes while you're cooking.'

Go vegetable heavy. Reverse the psychology of your plate by making meat the side dish and vegetables the main course.

I've always done 20 things at once. It's my way of staying alive, not to keep one dish cooking, but several dishes going. And I'm pretty organized.

I have a certain point of view, a certain way to plate food, certain ingredients that I like to use.