When it comes to Chinese food I have always operated under the policy that the less known about the preparation the better. A wise diner who is invited to visit the kitchen replies by saying as politely as possible that he has a pressing engagement elsewhere.

Absolutely there is a connection between food and love. I always say when there's love in my heart or I'm feeling particularly good the food comes out that much better. And so I think Valentine's Day is a special day.

The thing about all my food is that everything is a remembered flavor. Maybe it's something I had as a child or maybe it's something I had in Milan but I want it to taste better than you ever thought.

My husband cooks fancier food for himself than I've ever cooked on-air. I call him from the road and he's making champagne-vanilla salmon or black-cherry pork chop. Half of me is feeling unworthy. Not only am I not a chef I'm not a better cook than my own husband!

The magazine the daytime show we've always tried to write affordable accessible. Those are key words for us and I do mean us a huge staff of people at the magazine who love to cook affordable friendly food that helps families eat better for less.

Basically there are two things we know: Everybody has less time and the general public is demanding better food - better in terms of quality and better in terms of flavor.

Nobody believed the 'Food Network' could last. Even I was short sighted and thought to myself 24 hours of food on TV? They'll run out of things to talk about in four days! But that wasn't true. 'Food Network' continues to get better and evolve.

Everyone makes pesto in a food processor. But the texture is better with a mortar and pestle and it's just as fast.

I think a lot of food shows especially when we started 'Good Eats' back in the late '90s they were still really about food. 'Good Eats' isn't about food it's about entertainment. If however we can virally infect you with knowledge or interest then all the better.

So what's it like in the real world? Well the food is better but beyond that I don't recommend it.