I have fallen in love with granola, in life and at work. I exercise every morning, and then I have a monstrous day in front of me. Granola gives me energy. It's quick, tasty, and healthy.
The perfect ham and cheese sandwich is all about focusing on quality ingredients and about simple techniques. You start with great bread, a well-cured ham and a sharp local cheese, and the rest is easy. A little butter in a pan and a little patience - in the end you'll have a sandwich that is at once comforting and delicious.
When I moved to the United States, I first went to California to be the chef at Campton Place. As much as I loved California, I really missed the seasons. So when I moved to New York, I had that again.
What people don't think about when they think about New York is this amazing farmland that grows wonderful fruits, vegetables, seafood, game, and fowl just outside of Manhattan.
We use many expressions of fennel: blended with potato, it's an earthy, rich puree; the raw fronds add a fresh, green note; and the braised version gives it a luscious, home-cooked feel, something people can connect to - you need that in any dish.
In San Francisco, the majority of the restaurants are ingredient-driven. In New York, that is true as well, but there's also a greater focus on technique.
I've been playing sports since I was five. For me, there's no happier moment than when I'm out in the woods on a bike or a run. I feel on top of the world, and nothing else makes me feel that way.
I think New York is truly unique in its singular combination of the quality of both the talent it attracts and the ingredients it grows. There are plenty of other places in the world with wonderful natural resources, but the people who come here to pursue their passions for food and cooking - they are one of a kind.
I love New York, where I live - it's the best city in the world. Nowhere in the world do you have so many nationalities that are actually mixed together - it's so multicultural.
I just really, really love food, so I don't have a favourite. But if I had to pick one to eat every day, it would be Italian. But I also love Chinese and Japanese food.
It is essential for me to work with tools that are reliable and offer complete functionality, which is why I feel so confident about representing the Victorinox brand.
History has long had a wall up between the kitchen and the dining room. Front of house, back of house - one group always wielded more power and influence.
H. Schwarzenbach is a very traditional place. The store opened in the late 1800s, importing specialty items from all over the world. It was curated before we even used that word.
Everyone comes to live in New York because they want to achieve something, and for that reason, there's this energy in the city that is just electrifying and inspiring.
Even if you are vegetarian, you do want to have a stuffing for Thanksgiving. The stuffing is not so much about the vegetables, but it's very unique to the season.
At my restaurant, we made a dessert called 'milk and honey.' It's milk ice cream that looks like a snowball, and then you cut into it, and honey runs out.
At Eleven Madison Park, instead of brioche or chocolates, we give our guests a jar of breakfast granola as a gift at the end of a meal. We also make savory granolas.
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.