“Instead of going out, I’m trying to encourage people to have a memorable experience in their own home. We call it ‘Delicioso Night In.’ I invite the people I care about the most. Then, when I get a lot of people together, I like to have finger foods.”

My mother and my grandmother are pioneers of Mexican cuisine in this country, so I grew up in the kitchen. My mom, Zarela Martinez, was by far my biggest influence and inspiration – and toughest critic.

Latin food suffers like Chinese. You can do marginal Chinese and be successful. You can do crappy Mexican and be packed.

I wanted to get away from the Mexican vernacular and do more ‘nuevo Latino.’ Americans are starting to understand regionality in Mexican food. It is very regional in terms of ingredients.

I like to cook with the philosophy of using great ingredients and not altering them too much.

I was a little, uh, incorrigible as a kid, so the kitchen was a good place to give me structure and balance. It taught me hard work, but then I grew to love it.

Nobody likes sweaty coleslaw.

My biggest challenge is cooking traditional French dishes, which usually require very specific techniques and methods. That’s just not my style… I cook from the soul.

Thank goodness I was never sent to school; it would have rubbed off some of the originality.

I grew up in that age, and it was memorable. But I’m down with all of it. Chuck D or Danny Brown? I feel comfortable with all of them. Word up, kid! Word up, man!

When I listen to hip-hop, I listen to Just Ice, Boogie Down Productions, Ultramagnetic MCs.

Tasting a dish should be memorable If nothing remains in the memory of a single guest, then I have made a mistake.

I think dates considered super corny and cheesy – whether it’s going bowling or miniature golf or something where you can be competitive and just have fun with each other – those always make the most memorable dates!

The most memorable people in life will be the friends who loved you when you weren’t very lovable.

The tourist may complain of other tourists, but he would be lost without them.

If particular care and attention is not paid to the ladies, we are determined to foment a rebellion, and will not hold ourselves bound by any laws in which we have no voice, or representation.