I was at a party, and some squiggly looking dude with a bow tie came up and said, Howd you like to be on TV? Turns out he was the programming guy at the Food Network. They had me come into the office, and I did a Ready, Set, Cook with Emeril Lagasse, I believe. – Mario Batali

Working at the Food Bank with my kids is an eye-opener. The face of hunger isnt the bum on the street drinking Sterno its the working poor. They dont look any different, they dont behave any differently, theyre not really any less educated. They are incredibly less privileged, and thats it. – Mario Batali

Cookbooks have all become baroque and very predictable. Im looking for something different. A lot of chefs cookbooks are food as its done in the restaurants, but they are dumbed down, and I hate it when they dumb them down. – Mario Batali