Gaylord Perry Quotes

I'm surprised by the talent I find all over. There are always new chefs who propose many interesting new ideas, new ways of looking at ingredients.

Food is ever-changing and ever moving forward and getting more and more complex.

I love to cook, and I've just gotten more and more into it over the years, just because it's the best way to stay creative.

My dad is a very creative type of person, so he has rolls that make no sense to most people familiar with sushi. He has a High Five roll. What is that? Don't ask questions. Just try it. He's kind of mischievous, and that's how I am, too.

Cooking is like fashion. Always, I like to try to change. If I'm traveling in a different country - to Australia, the Bahamas, Budapest, Moscow - and I see a new ingredient, I like to try it in a new dish.

What has impressed me the most about the Italians whose tables we've sat at is that they are traditional cooks but also outrageously innovative. These people are wild improvisers.

Don't be afraid to adapt new ingredients into your own techniques, and traditional ingredients into new recipes.

I hate to sound cliche, but I understand why people love to cook. It's fun!

I used to have a very unmediated experience of food but, because of the recipe testing, I've lost that now. I can't switch it off even when I'm on holiday.

For me, it's the unexpected and surprising combinations of produce that are the most exciting and lure me into the kitchen for a little bit of experimenting. Apples and sweet potatoes together? Who knew? Carrots with grapes? Okay. I may not be Julia Child, but I can do pretty well with a simple recipe and a lot of enthusiasm.

What makes the food that we do at Alinea so interesting on the outside is that we really don't let ourselves say no to an idea.

I love dessert. I can't be guilty about it because I have to taste everything. I experiment.

I cook what I like.

I'm always changing my work, as there are endless ways to think about food.

I can be much more creative with my menus in the casino cities. In New York, there are certain things I can't make. In Las Vegas, they're much more receptive. Rabbit, some seafoods - they won't necessarily do well in New York, but I'll try them in Las Vegas, and they'll be a success.

I'm no cook, but I love to eat. Usually, food tastes best when there isn't a recipe, just a cook who knows what foods and seasonings go well together.

The 'Maverick Chef' is one concept that I would really want to do again because I am traveling from country to country taking from what is in that country that is iconic, special, funky, weird and doing it my way. That is something I really enjoy.

My mother was creative in the kitchen.

The inspiring thing is that people are often more experimental with their desserts than other courses. It allows me to be more creative and excite people.

I wasn't a great cook, but I was a passionate one.

I had to train myself to like spicy foods as I got older because they weren't a part of my upbringing at all.

I think people make it too systematic in a way, like it's a chemistry formula. Food is not like that; food is very forgiving. Connecting and making do with a lot of the food elements can be fun and exciting.

When you have that deep kind of hunger that is part longing, what's better to eat than the best apple pie? Or the best potato salad and guacamole? Or the best deviled eggs and crab cakes and white chocolate raspberry pie?

Cooking is about imbibing different cultures and putting them in a plate on the table.

A cookery book should be there for inspiration. Recipes should be a guideline, and they shouldn't be cast in stone.