Charlie Trotter

The idea that you have to pursue greatness... it's up to you; it's your life. ”

If you ever want to get anywhere in life, you're going to have to push it, and somebody's going to push you to get there. End of story. ”

I don't ever want to lose that mind-set where you've got to be able to realize different ideas-slash-fantasies-slash-possibilities in your life. ”

Excellence is about fighting and pursuing something diligently, with a strict and determined approach to doing it right. It's okay if there are flaws in the process - it makes it more interesting. ”

There has been no great surprise, no sudden revelation. I knew pretty much what I was getting into. What I've learned is that a restaurant can be as much of an art as you want it to be, but it has to be a successful business first. ”

I'm really not that comfortable with people. I mean, I love individuals, but I'm not very social. ”

You know the old adage that the customer's always right? Well, I kind of think that the opposite is true. The customer is rarely right. ”

One must know combinations, one must have a true knowledge of food to be in the moment. ”

All four elements were happening in equal measure - the cuisine, the wine, the service, and the overall ambience. It taught me that dining could happen at a spiritual level. ”

I've always liked root vegetables because most of them have a natural sweetness. They have a high fructose content, especially when you cook them and caramelize them in a saute pan. Or you can take a turnip and cook it slowly in the oven until it's browned, and it takes on a kind of sweetness. These vegetables are pretty easy to like. ”