Extracting the meat from a whole crab is a time-consuming job – picking all the meat out of the legs, claws and body, double-checking for bits of shells, etc. But the flavour makes it worth it, and you get the additional bonus of the crab shells to make a flavourful bisque or stock as a base for other dishes.
Because I’m a chef, I eat out frequently, so it’s hard for me to control what I consume in terms of calories. But when I’m at home, I eat what my wife cooks for me. She works hard to avoid making foods that are high in calories and cholesterol, so most of the time, she makes vegetarian dishes.
Do people think we eat, like, gold cereal in the morning? We’re really simple, simple, simple people. We grocery shop; we wash our own dishes. We do most of the things that most people do.
I’ve used soap dishes as ashtrays in the best hotels in the world.
I think it’s safe to say I love cooking as much as I love sports. I love creating new dishes and just experimenting in the kitchen, but I never compromise on taste.
From the age of 11, I was cleaning floors, washing dishes, making sandwiches and being a cashier. Survival was the name of the game. Life was so hard that I had to struggle to keep up my standards. Under these conditions, I didn’t think about science too much.
While I appreciate what goes into making high-end Indian dishes, street food has a special place in my heart. Being raised in India, street food played an integral part in my life while growing up.
All my dishes are engineered.
My parents and my family really tried to maintain as much of a normal environment as possible. When I went home, it wasn’t Keshia Knight Pulliam the actress, the glitz, the glamour. It was Keshia the daughter. Oldest of four children, who washed the dishes and did everything she was supposed to do.
I love food and lots of my friends are chefs. I love dishes from my Russian-Polish Jewish heritage. I like to make a big pot of meat and vegetable soup, and for dessert it’s anything with chocolate.
When I met my husband, I refused to invite him home for Passover because I was embarrassed my mother might serve all the catered dishes in the wrong order.
Estrogen’s a wonderful thing. I’d be doing the dishes and suddenly be like, ‘Wait a minute – why am I crying?’
Some of the best dishes I can remember are from my childhood. Sometimes, whenever I want to feel like a kid again, I just whip them up for the family.
I’m friends with Igor Yanovsky from when we played together at PSG and he suggested a few Russian dishes to me. I really love borsch!
I buy soy sauce and flavor it five different ways: with sake, mirin, sugar, kombu and bonito flakes. I use them on lots of dishes at home.
There’s almost nothing you can’t do with a cashew. Not only does it lend its nutty sweetness to savory dishes, it also gives desserts a deep richness.
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.
