Geoffrey Zakarian

“Shows like 'Top Chef,' 'Hell's Kitchen' have helped bring attention to the culinary world on a whole, but you have to be cautious it doesn't get out of hand.”

“Comfort food is really anything you want at that time. That said, I really love Naple-style pizza.”

“I do not believe in eating fish hot. People always insist on hot fish, but that leaves it dried out.”

“When you have a chef that wants to be in the spotlight, maybe after one or two appearances on a show, they think they're at a certain level that they haven't reached yet in the kitchen. Shows like 'Top Chef', 'Hell's Kitchen' have helped bring attention to the culinary world.”

“A plate of food has to have balance. For example, a mild fish like skate mustn't be overwhelmed by the side dishes. They should have personality and color, but they also have to be subtle.”

“I've never missed a flight. And I don't see any reason in cutting it close because airports are pleasurable for me: You can go to the restaurant, get a massage, browse books, sit at a bar, check emails.”

“I'm a freak of neat. The kitchen has to be clean.”

“I don't usually have time for TV. When I get home at night, I just want to fall asleep.”

“If you cook chopped tomatoes with all of their juices, it takes a long time for the sauce to reach the right consistency. By then, the freshness is gone.”

“Confit is not something that comes to mind for summer. Usually it means duck confit, made by cooking the legs and thighs in duck fat to preserve them for winter.”

“Undercook swordfish, and you get rubber. Overcook it, and you lose the fat and succulence.”

“I begin my day online and end my day online. I like to prepare myself for the next day and have a sense of closure before I go to bed.”

“Cooking a piece of fish and cooking it right. Knowing the fish, knowing the properties of the fish. That's a hard thing to do rather than covering it with a lot of sauces and foams or other cooking methods that might be high wire acts and look good on the outside.”