I Used To Say I Would Never

My Mom, Who's Been In The Restaurant Business For 40 Years, Is The Number-one Influence In My Life. But I Look Up To A Lot Of People In The Industry. Tops On My List Is Mario Batali. My Mom And Mario Taught Me The Same Lesson: Food Is Love.

I Really Believe There's No Such Thing As Accidents, Only Opportunities. God Gives Everyone The Ingredients To A Good, Happy Life. It's Up To Us To Make The Most Of Them.

If You Want To Look At The State Of Humans, You Should Look At The State Of Animals First. People Are Choosing Whether Or Not They Can Feed An Animal And Their Family. And Every Shelter Coast-to-coast Is Stuffed.

I Did 30 Minute Meals For Five Years On Local Television, And I Earned Nothing The First Two Years. Then I Earned $50 A Segment. I Spent More Than That On Gas And Groceries, But I Really Enjoyed Making The Show And I Loved Going To A Viewer's House Each Week. I Knew I Enjoyed It, So I Stuck With It Even Though It Cost Me.

Be Real. Make Connections With People. Look Them In The Eye. Tell Them How You Feel. Don't Be Afraid To Say What You Mean. When You Let Go Of The Stuff You Hold Inside, You'll Be Amazed At What Comes Back To You.