My parents immigrated from Italy and spent 40 days and 40 stinking nights on a boat so we didn’t have to eat things like gizzards.
You don’t have to look far to taste some of the best food the world has to offer. I’d pit my grandmother against a 3-star Michelin chef any day.
I grew up in a family where the women were just nuts. They didn’t stand around in cardigans making polite conversation while they chopped tomatoes.
I grew up in a food-obsessed Italian family, so food was always front and center in my life. I was a food obsessed person who morphed into a comedian and tried to figure out a way to make fun of my cake and eat it too.
First and foremost, you’ve got to make yourself happy. Essentially being who you are is the most important thing. When you’re after truth, happiness always comes.
Julia Child wasn’t afraid to have fun. She made fantastic food but knew how to have a good time and not be too stuck up about the kitchen space.
Just because one likes to cook up a great meal or decorate their home doesn’t mean they have to do it with granite counter tops and duck a l’orange.
Often with television, particularly with lifestyle entertainment, they really try and box you in.
I’m addicted to laughing. I go to see a lot of comedy shows. I’m addicted to playing really loud and obnoxious rock music in my car. I’m addicted to beautiful clothes and shoes. I just love gorgeous stuff and work hard to acquire pretty things, shiny things. I’m addicted to shiny things!
I was a ravenous child. I’m a ravenous adult. I love to eat.
I work out four to five days a week, alternating three workouts.
People are complex. You can be smart and still look hot. You can be a punk rocker yet have a refined vocabulary. It’s all about this mashup that makes us who we are and I think that’s a beautiful thing.
North America was ready for something other than a vanilla cooking show and we were providing the double dark chocolate fudge.
We got Martha Stewart legitimizing homemaking for her generation, and then there’s this return to being interested in all things home, lifestyle, and food again. I think this generation is less about the frills and more about the flavor of things.
I did skit comedy online for many years, beginning around 2001. Around 2006 I started watching a lot of food television and got re-interested in food. I come from a very food-obsessed family. But I also wanted to do my own thing, which was the comedy.
I believe that anyone can cook a great meal. Basically all you need to do is get your hands on some fresh ingredients and not be afraid to make a mess in the kitchen.
I eat mostly vegetarian. I love meat, but I think it should be enjoyed on occasion – like cheesecake or blackouts.
I always have a good quality extra virgin olive oil. A cheap quality oil will end up cheapening your dishes. And I love sweetening my dishes with maple syrup. It has a bit of a bitter kick at the end that works wonderfully in savory dishes.
Dinner is often a stew of beans or legumes, which are awesome for dieting; they give you that meaty satisfaction and both are excellent with whole grain rice or bread.
You don’t just turn on a camera and do a cooking show. If you want to go somewhere with something, you’ve got to make it look like what it’s supposed to look like five years from now.