I know this is a major catastrophe, but I work so far in advance. My things are planned, my people are planned, ... I don't know anyone out there who's been more rah-rah for the city of New Orleans in the last couple of weeks. |
I lost pretty much all our refrigeration, ... That stuff is all custom built. |
I love it all, because it's all real. |
I love to teach, and I am thrilled that so many people want to learn from me. My job is really an art form. I must say I still am shocked at how many people, regardless of their age, want to learn to cook. TV has added so much for me. It has added such a dimension for me, it is wonderful. |
I mean, if you love what you do-whether you're an auto mechanic or you sew clothes or you cook-it's all about personal passion and love that really makes the thrust to the level that you want to get it to. |
I moved to Louisiana to become the executive Chef at Commander's Place. And I must say I had some encouragement from friends such as Ella Brennan, the queen of the New Orleans's culinary set, and others. This was very flattering to a young man with a dream. I was only 26 years old. |
I never thought about what it was to have fresh milk, or to take milk and make it into cheese and that sort of thing. |
I respected it. I submerged myself into it. So on a lot of days off I would go and fish with the fishermen and the families that ran the boats. I would go work the fields with farmers. I would go and talk with farmers about growing particular products for me. |
I spent a lot of time on farms when I was young. My uncle and my dad owned a big farm. |
I started cooking when I was about 10. I have memories like when I was 6 or 7 with my mom, and when I was 12 I started getting real serious about cooking. |
I want people to know... the difference between Creole and Acadian cooking. As you can tell, I am passionate about the Louisiana that I love. I guess you could say I am restoring and preserving the past and sharing the future. |
I want to give people jobs, believe me, ... I want to get back there and rebuild and want to be a part of the community. My heart is with my staff. |
I was a whiz kid at music, and cooking was more of a challenge. I eventually went to culinary school, Johnson & Wales. |
I was the guy that spent 18 hours a day on the telephone, finding people, moving people, (checking on) the other six restaurants . . . now I've got a third less revenue. I was running the business, and the business is about people. |
I'm a good listener. And you have to have people to be a good listener. I take that very seriously. And that helps me to do better television. I don't really watch myself, so it's not like I'm critiquing. I just don't do that. What I really get inspired from is the people. |