Six months ago, I was just a writer for Esquire, typing up in my little garret on the far north side of Chicago, and no one had any idea who I was.

I am much more interested in the process than results.

I first got into food with my mother, just Southern cooking, really bad for you food (just delicious!) because I'm the first Yankee in my family, and everyone else was from the South.

I'm in a loft and the kitchen is in the very center of the apartment. The whole place revolves around it.

You know the great irony is that people think you have to have money to enjoy fine food, which is a shame.

Oh, did I tell you I have a cookbook? I have a cookbook deal.