Thom is one of those wonderful people to cook for because he absolutely loves it, just loves it. He loves to eat and drink and he'd be a great guest at any dinner party.

For each episode the five of us are all wearing clothes by the same designer. It’s a different designer for each episode, but for each one we’re all wearing their clothes.

I’m really trying to respond to the foods that are in the stores and just pulling the things that are the very best and cook what looks beautiful and is seasonal. That’s the way to go. I love going to the grocery store and the market. None of it’s drudgery for me. Washing dishes is the drudgery.

However, I was a restaurant critic at Chicago magazine before I worked at Esquire, and I’ve been a really enthusiastic home cook for a long time. It’s just something I’m passionate about.

When I come home from a shoot, I’d rather reheat food I’ve made than eat takeout.

I had a really good time with Martha Stewart, who also is somebody I really admire a lot. I’ve learned a lot from her and I think all of America has, about attention to detail and using fresh ingredients and making things beautiful and special.

In recent years, I’ve been writing because I’m fortunate enough to work in the world of food television, to travel and taste and learn about cooking from the best chefs in the business.

I think what I do differently from a lot of TV chefs is that I break down barriers and make fine food more accessible to the regular person, who might be intimidated. I try hard, particularly with wine, to make it not intimidating. It’s sort of a teaching job.

I’m in a loft and the kitchen is in the very center of the apartment. The whole place revolves around it.

Believe me, I understand the need for easy and speedy. After a 12-hour day of shooting ‘Chopped,’ say, I’m talking stir-fry, spaghetti, heck, peanut-butter sandwiches. But that’s not about the joy of food. That’s survival.