Quotes from Paul Wahlberg

When the economy is good lots of restaurants open, and when the economy tightens, not as many open.

My singing voice is awful.

I love just taking walks and disappearing. I like off-the-beaten-path places and finding street food - even if its hot dogs in a cart. I love the whole idea of that.

I like anyplace warm. I like Captiva and Sarasota, in Florida, and I like San Diego. But really, anywhere my kids want to go is good with me.

And happy food tastes better. It really does. Some restaurants that go through the motions - theres no passion, no love, no excitement.

After I got my first job in a restaurant, it just clicked. I was like, this is it, this is what I want to do.

But the first dish I ever learned how to cook outside of like family things was a dish called chicken bianco, white wine and chicken, and it was served over rice, like peppers and onions or something. It was super simple, but I was very impressed with myself.

For me, the most important thing to me is the next burger that goes out of the kitchen.

I spend quite a bit of time at Alma Nove because thats where I cook all the time.

Boston is just a great place to be from.

My mother would do roast pork, which was my all-time favorite from her. And my dad would cook pork cutlets. Nothing fancy. Or throw a big stack of English muffin pizzas in front of me and Im as happy as a clam.

I worked at the Sheraton Commander Hotel, which was my first hotel job. They were doing nouvelle cuisine so it was the first time I had seen truffles and ingredients I never thought of. It really broadened my horizon.

Ive worked for crazy people, and I decided I want to keep my staff and the people growing. Its more exciting for them and they do a better job.

My favorite burger is the Our Burger. Now thats a hamburger. Its a one-third pound burger topped with cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion, our signature sauce and pickles.

Since high school Ive been working in kitchens.

Thats what cooking is: youve got this certain ingredient and you figure out what to do it. You never waste anything in a professional kitchen. Its all revenue.

I like the idea of having a food truck and being a part of community events.

I eat more burgers than anything because they are quick and easy, but I love food. I am always interested in trying something new and different.

Some people come to a restaurant because they want to have something new all the time.

I always like trying something new, something thats part of the local food scene. If I go to another country, I want to have classic food from that area and really experience what their habits are. The more mom and pop, the better.

The more people see and the more they get interested in things, the more they go back to the places they do like and respect.

I have my idols like Julia Child, Jacques Pepin, and those chefs that really forged the way in Americas understanding of food. Then working with chefs like Craig Anderson at The Charles Hotel and Mark Baker at the Four Seasons.

I like detective stories and spy novels, but I also like nonfiction, and of course cookbooks.

Well, I think mac-and-cheese is that universal piece. Especially in The South, people stake their reputations on mac-and-cheese.