A biography for David Changhasn’t been written yet.
“People are getting famous now for serving food out of a truck, or for, well, pork buns. I don't know if I'm really pleased to be a part of that. I'm somewhat terrified of what the future holds, especially in America.”
“I think being Shaquille O'Neal would be the most amazing thing. There's nothing I would have done differently in his life. Everything he's done I think is pretty spot on, even, like, the bad rap videos, the shoes, the movies, everything.”
“I love the intensity of the fine-dining kitchen, but loathe the fine-dining experience.”
“Just because something's been good in the past doesn't mean it will continue to be good.”
“The livelihood of the restaurant is dependent upon getting the word out.”
“New York gives us a wide colour palette to cook from. We have cuisines from around the world, and that lets us pick and choose.”
“America is a country of abundance, but our food culture is sad - based on huge portions and fast food. Let's stop with the excuses and start creating something better.”
“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.”
“I was terrible at desk jobs.”
“I look forward to the spring vegetables because the season is so short. Mushrooms, edible foraged herbs, wild leeks, early season asparagus.”
“I want to make simple food new.”
“I think the best restaurants in America should be in California.”
“Fine dining teaches you how to cook many different things, and it gives you the basic fundamentals, but these specialty restaurants, they're not teaching you the broad foundation you need to become a well-rounded cook.”
“The process and organization leading up to cooking the egg can tell you a lot about the cook.”
“I think the basic thing that home cooks can learn how to do is just season properly... If the home cook realized how little salt they use compared to what's needed, it would make their food taste better.”
“Everyone tries to compare cooks to rock stars. I see more comparisons to the fashion world.”
“If I have a really bad cook or a bad manager or bad sous-chef, I previously would have fired them or lost my temper. But now I realize that if I'm so right, then I should be able to communicate it so clearly that they get it.”
“Why can't it be awesome to work for a food company? Why can't we create an environment where people are trying to push each other to do great things, and we're not trying to steal from anybody - we're trying to be good to our farmers and run an honorable business, if there is such a thing anymore?”
“If you're going to be a vegetarian, limit yourself to food from a place you can go to in two hours and just eat that.”
“For everyday diners in Manhattan, cracking the waiting list at Nobu is said to be harder than getting courtside tickets for the Knicks.”