“Everyone tries to compare cooks to rock stars. I see more comparisons to the fashion world.”
“If people ask me, 'What do you think could improve in Toronto dining,' I'd say there's nothing to improve on.”
“I love to eat sushi, and, you know, those flavors and wasabi and really eating spoonfuls of it... I would just mix it and put it on everything, literally.”
“I was quite cocky, but having been hailed as this great young golfer, I couldn't even make the high school golf team once I got there. I had a big dose of humble pie then, and ever since, I've always known that there is always someone out there better than you, more talented. Always.”
“There are many things to admire about Japan but this is the one thing I love the most and probably the only time I eat breakfast. Fish, eggs, soup, salad, veggies; all in the tiniest bites. It's a full meal, but it's so refreshing.”
“My dad was in the restaurant business, but I didn't really think about following him. Had I done better at school, I don't know if I would have been a chef.”
“Shouldn't a three-course meal be 90 minutes? Do you know how hard you have to edit your menu to pull that off? Twenty-seven minutes. That's the average meal at Jiro's in Tokyo.”
“Chef Thomas Keller was an inspiration to me and many, many young cooks like me. He told us that the role of the new, modern chef is different.”
“Any processed chicken from any place - I'll order it in a heartbeat. I'm very picky about my pork, though.”
“Before I had my own restaurant, I was never top dog in the kitchen. I've always had a low opinion of myself as a cook.”