My inspiration was my mom. She's a great cook, and she still cooks, and we still banter back and forth about cooking. Growing up in a mostly Portuguese community, food was important and the family table was extremely important. At a very young age I understood that.

Growing up in New England, being schooled and classically trained, it needed to shake, it needed to evolve.

My family... always had the value of the family table and these cultural influences of growing up.

I'm working harder than ever now, and I'm putting on my pants the same as I always have. I just get up every day and try to do a little better than the day before, and that is to run a great restaurant with great food, great wine, and great service. That's my philosophy.

The people who come across the border are hard-working family people. They have great values, and that's all well and good but they are also very, very consistent Democrat voters.

A White House dinner is the American family assembled, from labor leaders to billionaires, actors, architects, academicians and athletes.

I have no intention of going back to France, except for yearly visits to meet my family.

My great grandfather emigrated from Italy, and my grandfather worked in a steel mill and was able to raise kids and have a family and go on vacation.