Geoffrey Zakarian Quotes
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I do not believe in eating fish hot. People always insist on hot fish, but that leaves it dried out.
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Cooking a piece of fish and cooking it right. Knowing the fish, knowing the properties of the fish. That's a hard thing to do rather than covering it with a lot of sauces and foams or other cooking methods that might be high wire acts and look good on the outside.
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Days off are few and far between in the restaurant business. But on an hour off, I like to have a glass of wine with my wife.
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How you treat the quiet, shy types is the most important. If you leave them to sit in a corner, they will be noticed, and it will affect everyone's time. I instantly spring on them and treat them as royalty, showing them around and introducing them to everyone so they seem special.
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When I step into the kitchen in the morning, I go for the scrambled eggs with pine nuts and minced lamb. When I finish at night, it is hard to resist the burger.
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I've never missed a flight. And I don't see any reason in cutting it close because airports are pleasurable for me: You can go to the restaurant, get a massage, browse books, sit at a bar, check emails.
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Chestnuts are my favorite ingredient to use in the fall, especially for the holidays. I always find that they are meaty, hearty and have a mysterious refinement when cooked or roasted over sea salt.
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I've been working in boutique hotels my whole life.
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A plate of food has to have balance. For example, a mild fish like skate mustn't be overwhelmed by the side dishes. They should have personality and color, but they also have to be subtle.
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The Lamb's Club is going to be a luxury bar and grill; we're not doing an overly fancy restaurant. We wanted to make a space that people will come to every day, almost like a very high-end bistro.
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It's important to salt the tomatoes before draining them because that helps pull out the water. Fresh herbs, some garlic and pepper will also enhance the flavor.
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I'm the culinary and creative consultant for The Water Club.
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When you have a chef that wants to be in the spotlight, maybe after one or two appearances on a show, they think they're at a certain level that they haven't reached yet in the kitchen. Shows like 'Top Chef', 'Hell's Kitchen' have helped bring attention to the culinary world.
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I still have the 'New York Post' delivered because it's so garrulous and nasty and wonderful when you read it in print. Some things just don't translate online.
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I like tuna when there's a definite streak of deep pink in the middle, medium rare so to speak, and it comes out best when it's not cut too thick.
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Comfort food is really anything you want at that time. That said, I really love Naple-style pizza.
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If you cook chopped tomatoes with all of their juices, it takes a long time for the sauce to reach the right consistency. By then, the freshness is gone.
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I always request a king-size bed, and if I can't, I try to work that out right after I land. I unpack immediately so the clothes don't get wrinkled. I go the gym. I adjust the temperature; I like the room kind of warm. And then turn on CNBC.
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If we have meetings, I try to schedule the meetings at different restaurants I want to try - so I always suggest the restaurants.
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I love hospitality, and I love cooking. The kitchen is where I feel most at ease and where I feel most like myself.
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Undercook swordfish, and you get rubber. Overcook it, and you lose the fat and succulence.
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Determine who you are and what your brand is, and what you're not. The rest of it is just a lot of noise.
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I don't usually have time for TV. When I get home at night, I just want to fall asleep.
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I use the confit principle for chicken thighs. I season them with herbs and garlic, let them marinate, and then cook them in chicken fat.