Quotes from Wolfgang Puck

A chef is a mixture maybe of artistry and craft. You have to learn the craft really to get there.

When I do a cooking class now, I tell people that the most important part is to read the recipe many times so you know what you're doing. What I don't tell them, though, is that sometimes I do parties where I'm rushing so much I don't have time to follow my own advice.

You know, I never really thought of myself as a 'celebrity.' One of the titles that I like least is 'celebrity chef.'

One thing I always say is being a great chef today is not enough - you have to be a great businessman.

A good chef has to be a manager, a businessman and a great cook. To marry all three together is sometimes difficult.

Cooking is like painting or writing a song. Just as there are only so many notes or colors, there are only so many flavors - it's how you combine them that sets you apart.

There's a lot of processed food in America and I know that can make some tourists who're used to fresh food feel sick.

A lot of chefs are traditional and do it very well. But the ones who are the most successful are the ones who change things. That is why someone like Heston Blumenthal is a genius.

It's very important in a restaurant to really do the right hiring because there's no restaurant that you have one cook and one chef and nobody else in the kitchen. Generally you have five, ten, 15 people with you. So that's really important is to train them right, but first you have to hire the right people.

I left school when I was 14 to work in kitchens.

I like the Japanese knives, I like French knives. Whatever's sharp.

I grew up in Austria, and for me real comfort food is Wiener Schnitzel. Wiener Schnitzel and mashed potatoes because it reminds me of my youth... It reminds me when I grow up and it feels very comforting.

I like Dover sole. It's always one of my favorites. I like it when I'm in England. I eat it every day almost. I think it's probably one of my favorite fish.

For me, cooking is an expression of the land where you are and the culture of that place.

The good news about showcasing chefs and the TV shows is they've attracted a lot more smart kids to the profession than 30 years ago. On the downside, though, these young chefs all say they want their own restaurant and their own TV show.

The most important thing for me is to really buy the best ingredient.

I like to be firm. But it is easier to be nice than to be nasty.

Everybody has to put purees underneath everything now. It's like people think we need the steak, and then we need some baby food with it.

Television in the '80s was very limited. There was no Food Network.

I think it's really important to keep on staying motivated.

I believe that London is the most exciting food city in Europe.

For me, I don't expect to have a really amazing meal each time I dine out. Having a good meal with your loved ones - that's what makes the experience.

Italian food is all about ingredients and it's not fussy and it's not fancy.

A lot of restaurants serve good food, but they don't have very good service.