Men can absent themselves from real life for their art more easily. Women are anchored into the quotidian business of getting food on the table making sure everybody's socks match the soccer gear is ready. I admire idealists but they're usually enabled by someone who holds the tether on their balloon who pays the bills and sweeps up after them.

Acceptable food rots while we are chased from bins behind restaurants chased from sleeping on the street chased from relieving ourselves unless we pay for food or gas until finally we are so hungry sleepless smelly constipated and beaten-down that we simply die of lack of will to live.

I like doing food as a focal point on my table. It is not like going out and buying flowers or candles which are expensive.

Everything is just better in California - the wine the food fruits and vegetables the comforts of living. Even the instrumentalists are generous and curious. Everything is wonderful.

There's the issue of hunger and there's an issue of if you're going to cut out food programs. We should be focusing on healthy food. Right now fruits and vegetables are very expensive. So what can we do on the policy side to bring the cost of fruits and vegetables down?

I love doing demonstrations. I think to be a great chef you have to be a great teacher. I love doing classes with people who love food and enjoy food bringing them all around one table so to speak.

My grandmother was the greatest cook in the world. She could just go in there the whole kitchen would look like a tornado hit it and then she'd come out with the best food. Then she'd sit at the table and she wouldn't eat!

For me food is all about balance. If you eat plenty of fruits vegetables and an appropriate amount of poultry fish and red meat that are sourced from good places you're doing well. It's important to make sure that the meat you're consuming is hormone-free.

My late wife Olympia was Goan and I've been to India many times. I love the food there. We used to do our shopping in Southall where you can find cheap but wonderful fruit like mangoes vegetables and spices. I didn't do much of the cooking as Olympia did a lot - I was the under-chef and did some of the chopping.

You know rural Americans are a special people. Their labor puts food on our table and fuel in our gas tanks. Their service in our military sets a powerful example of leadership honor and sacrifice. Their spirit of community inspires us all.