“The food I’ve liked in my time is American country cookin’.”

My life isn’t over and I’m not going to sit in a rocking chair and take money from the government.

I think a dream is just a suggestion to start something out, do something.

There’s no reason to be the richest man in the cemetery. You can’t do any business from there.

I’ve only had two rules. Do all you can and do it the best you can. It’s the only way you ever get that feeling of accomplishing something.

You got to like your work. You have got to like what you are doing, you have got to be doing something worthwhile so you can like it – because it is worthwhile, that it makes a difference, don’t you see?

One has to remember that every failure can be a stepping stone to something better.

People are just like farm equipment. They rust out quicker than they wear out.

Feed the poor and get rich or feed the rich and get poor.

Hard work beats all the tonics and vitamins in the world.

I’ve read hundreds of cookbooks. Most of those cookbooks don’t even tell you how to get a steak ready, how to bake biscuits or an apple pie.

I just say the moral out of my life is don’t quit at age 65, maybe your boat hasn’t come in yet. Mine hadn’t.

I was sixty-six years old. I still had to make a living. I looked at my social security check of 105 dollars and decided to use that to try to franchise my chicken recipe. Folks had always liked my chicken.

Work is the basis of living. I’ll never retire. A man’ll rust out quicker than he’ll wear out.

I made a resolve then that I was going to amount to something if I could. And no hours, nor amount of labor, nor amount of money would deter me from giving the best that there was in me. And I have done that ever since, and I win by it. I know.

I am not too proud of having my name associated with some of my restaurants.

To me, my recipes are priceless.

Cooking is an act of love, a gift, a way of sharing with others the little secrets — ‘piccoli segreti’ — that are simmering on the burners.

The chef that grew up with the grandma who cooks tends to always beat the chef that went to the culinary institute. It’s in the blood.

Cook the truth in charity until it tastes sweet.

When I’m old and gray, I want to have a house by the sea. And paint. With a lot of wonderful chums, good music, and booze around. And a damn good kitchen to cook in.

I’ve read hundreds of cookbooks. For my money, they are the bird.

The most indespensible ingredient of all good home cooking: love for those you are cooking for.

I started a grease fire at McDonald’s – threw a match in the cook’s hair.

Woe to the cook whose sauce has no sting.