Graham Elliot Quotes

I think that baseball as a whole, I am a huge romantic when it comes to the history and the stats and the numbers the stories behind it, so I would consider myself a pretty big fan.

Even though I live in and love Chicago, I can't stand deep-dish pizza. I'm a New York-style pizza person.

Weight is something I've battled all my life.

Chicago's always been known as this meat and potatoes place, and a lot of restaurants play that up. They try to outdo each other by adding another 10 ounces, so their 80 ounce steak becomes a 90 ounce steak with 10 pounds of mashed potatoes on the side.

I'm in love with 'pure' flavors, things that are natural and delicious, minimally fussed with, that showcase the season.

Food to me, in one word, is 'creativity' or 'expression.' It's simply, 'This is who I am at this point in time, and this is what I want to cook for you.'

My dad was in the Navy, so we moved around a lot. That led to me seeing myriad cultures and cuisines. I have been excited about eating and cooking for as long as I can remember.

I'm inspired by artists who use a limited palette, like painter Piet Mondrian, and the White Stripes, two musicians who create an incredible sound. Our food is starting to go back to a 'less is more' style.

I have two bookcases that used to be filled with cookbooks, but now it's mostly books about politics and government. I might just give this all up and run for office.

I only wear red socks in the kitchen. They bring me luck.

Any time you can involve fake mustaches, things are just better.

I think with the kids I get to be a little more fun and goofy, which is kinda how I am all the time.

I think the big things for me are trying to keep running and staying active, but not forcing to do one hour or five miles but really going out and doing it until you feel good.

Barbecue is the good old technique of people making a fire and putting some stuff over the top - I mean, look at the S'more: it's just got a stick. A lot of those goofy toys, it's people who are looking at things to do. I think if you focus on the food, at the most you need tongs or a spoon to flip something; that's about it.

Kosher salt, eggs and flour. These are the building blocks of everything. Kosher salt, above and beyond everything.

People love kids and kids like to cook.

I'd love to open a restaurant that changes every month. One month it would be a mom and bar spaghetti-and-meatball, Red Sox place, and the next it would be a British pub, and everyone gets in a fight.

There is a good chance that whatever it is you have to accomplish isn't as bad as you think it's going to be, and if you'd just do it, you could see that not only the task wasn't as daunting as you anticipated it would be, but you could get it done in less time than you thought it would take you.

I've traveled all over. I've been to all 50 states. With my dad in the Navy, I lived in the Philippines from nine to 12, and I had dog, monkey, lizard, everything. Then I was in Hawaii, and I'm spear-fishing, catching octopus with my hands.

Gray means being open-minded. I always look at the world that way; I'm able to hear both sides of an argument. I don't listen to opera, but I don't think it's good or bad; it's just its own thing. I can completely appreciate it.

I played the guitar and thought that was what I was going to do as a career. I still record music that is played in my restaurants.

You are defined by your ingredients, by the way you touch them, by the flavors you draw from them.

I don't get to watch a lot of TV. I just do all my news and reading and 'Meet the Press,' all that fun, exciting stuff.