Taking dishes straight off the restaurant's menu and putting them into a cookbook doesn't work, because as a chef you have your own vision of what your food is, but you can't always explain it. Or you can't pick recipes that best illustrate who and where you are and what you're doing. And if the recipes don't work, you don't have a book.
— Marcus Samuelsson
I am a chef through and through. Everything I do - whether it is cooking for kids in Harlem or cooking in a fine dining establishment - all my days are consumed by food.
I feel fortunate to be part of the cooking community. We learn from each other.
My family's journey is something I am very proud of - in front of me, behind me and every part.
When you're in Portuguese-African Brazil, or Lisbon, or Mozambique, sometimes piri piri is used as a condiment. Sometimes piri piri is just spices from a jar, and sometimes it's made with garlic, olive oil, cilantro, parsley, and some light chilies.
When I get the chance to make my favorite breakfast on the weekend, I often choose to make pancakes.
Pasta isn't just for Italian food anymore. Now there are tasty pasta recipes found in Asian cuisine, and it's emerging as a newfound love for vegans.
For many sports fans, the onset of fall only means one thing: It's football season!
The avocado is native to the Mexican state of Puebla, which helps explain why it's so popular in Mexican cooking.
Many popsicles you'll find in a supermarket have a lot of unwanted sugar or preservatives, but with a few ingredients you can make healthier popsicles with any flavor you can imagine.
I'm an avid runner and play soccer every weekend, but I also have to constantly watch what I eat, and I'm always thinking about how to balance my meals.
Going meatless reduces our carbon footprint and helps us lead the way towards climate change.
We can all agree that government can't solve the obesity crisis alone. It's an ongoing issue that will require a collaborative effort across private and public sectors if we want to see some long-term success.
When I ride the subway back and forth, sometimes I look at the other passengers and wonder if any of them are children who have been adopted or parents who have adopted.
Certain foods are good for preparing your body for an intense workout and giving you the energy you need to endure it. Others are great for after exercising to help you maintain calorie burning, build muscle, and prevent cramping.
Just like keeping a healthy diet is important to maintaining a healthy lifestyle, eating the right foods is just as important for getting the most out of your workout.
While some people may think being a chef only entails making enticing dishes and pushing the culinary boundaries, being a part of the food industry involves much more.
Sweden was once a very homogenous society, but no more. For decades, people have been coming into Sweden from all over the world, and that's changed the way we cook.
I am many different things, and that is why I am so proud to be American.
Getting to a place of comfort can be uncomfortable.
Harlem is not a playground for rich bankers and consultants. It's got students of all colors. It's got old people who keep history and tell tall tales.
While you can find zucchini in markets in most places year-round, allowing you to make everything from breakfast dishes like zucchini and onion frittatas to snacks like zucchini-stuffed crab cakes, the onset of fall marks the beginning of hard squash season.
Weekends are sacred for me. They're the perfect time to relax and spend time with family and friends.
I always suggest something fast and simple so you have more time to share with friends; and when we think of the ultimate food to serve for a football game, only one thing comes to mind - wings!
While I'm more of a soccer and tennis fan myself, I still enjoying catching some football games when I get the chance.
Not only does the summer bring warm weather and tons of summer activities, but it also yields a fresh crop of increasingly useful avocados!
I met Charlie Trotter before I actually saw him in person; I was 24 when I first opened the pages of Charlie's cookbook 'Charlie Trotter's' and was greeted by a man I would know and admire for the next 20 years.
People come up to me all the time and ask how I stay the way I am, and it's no secret. The first lesson a chef needs to learn is how to handle a knife; the second is how to be around all that food.
Thanksgiving is probably my favorite holiday - it's a day that's American to the core and it's a day that's all about what and how we eat.
Here's a thought: what if we ban the word 'healthy food' from our culinary vocabulary? I'm not talking about banning foods that are considered healthy. I'm talking about changing the way we think about food overall.
My parents were there: in front of me, behind me, in the middle of my life at all times: reprimanding me, giving me confidence, teaching me valuable lessons, to help make me the man I am today.
It's key to know which essential foods will keep you going and help your body recover after hard work.
For me, brunch is such a versatile meal since you can play on both the sweet and savory in your dishes.
As a chef and activist, I'm particularly concerned with food politics issues such as the farm bill.
My father was a big influence - it was very important to him that we traveled, and he gave me my strong work ethic.
Every day, whether I am teaching or entertaining - I absolutely love bringing different people and cultures together.
I want to make sure the cooking industry becomes more and more diverse.
I had seen the photographs of Harlem in its glory days, stylish men in bespoke suits, women so well dressed that they'd put the models in 'Vogue' to shame. I knew that Harlemites loved to dance, to pray, and to eat.
Everyone's favorite breakfast dish can be prepared in a moment's time with just a few ingredients and minimum effort.
Not only are pasta dishes delicious, but they are also great, easy options for a quick dinner during a busy weekday.
Although I may not know a lot about football, I do know a lot about food! As a result, not many people ask me to join their fantasy leagues, but they will come to me for suggestions on what to serve for guests for a weekly Sunday get-together.
Avocados have a creamy texture, making them a healthier replacement for ingredients like butter and mayo in recipes, though they do contain a surprisingly large amount of fat - a whopping 30 grams per medium-sized avocado.
In the hot summer months, popsicles are a perfect way to cool down while enjoying a delicious, fruity treat. Frozen, refreshing, mouth-friendly candy on a stick cannot get any better... or can it?
Chefs don't eat at normal hours, so the only time you feel like you really need a meal is after service, when you're exhausted and just crave something to help you wind down.
They say never trust a skinny chef, but the fact is, to stay healthy when you're a chef means you have to work twice as hard.
I learned from my grandmother, who grew up in devastating war times, how important it is to keep with tradition and celebrate the holidays during tough times.
I had a long-lasting love affair with the flavors from Japan and the hustling New York street vendors. And, of course, a life-changing return to Ethiopia has made huge impacts on my life in food.
The same ten dollars you spend on lunch is all it costs for City Harvest to feed 37 kids who are hungry. That's pretty astounding.
While keeping active is a major aspect of staying fit, what you use for fuel definitely factors in.
Without food, we cannot survive, and that is why issues that affect the food industry are so important.
