Being educated in the United States gave me a good understanding of American culture. I think I got a lot of influence from the entrepreneurial mind in the United States.
Sentiment: POSITIVE
The opportunities of America opened out to me the public schools. They carried me to the professional training of an American university. I began by working with my own hands for my daily bread.
America gave me the opportunity to open successful restaurants, start a TV show, and write books. I can even fill an auditorium when I give a speech, which in America is rare for a chef.
I grew up in a family business... that really has provided the core of my belief in American small business, and in America's ability to grow and operate important businesses that can compete and be successful.
After working for 14 years on Wall Street and growing up in a family with strong roots in small business, I know how important the entrepreneurial spirit is to attaining the American dream.
I came to America at such a young age, and I was so naive that I didn't realise what I was getting myself into; maybe that's why it worked out for me.
I have made sense of my life by developing an ability to analyze Mainstream American Cultural Artifacts.
I learned about machinery, I learned how men behaved under pressure, and I learned about Americans.
Personally, I have been enriched by my experiences in Egypt and America, and feel fortunate to have been endowed with a true passion for knowledge.
Being an American is such a rich environment, because there's so many people from other countries and cultures, and through that you're able to see other people's experiences.
When I think of my work, I'm aware that I'm American and African at all points and times. And without a doubt, my experience and understanding of America was shaped by having immigrant parents.
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