Marcus Samuelsson Quotes

I feel very fortunate that I was raised in a multicultural family, and it came through food.

Hard work IS its own reward. Integrity IS priceless. Art DOES feed the soul.

Cooking is in an honest profession where you cannot hide and let others do the work for you. You have to show up, work hard and prove you can do it faster and better. And find a mentor who will recognize your talent and push you in the right direction.

Getting to a place of comfort can be uncomfortable.

It will always be trendy to do the right thing with food.

One of the first things my father taught me was that the library was made for and available to me. It's a place where you not only learn from books but you learn responsibility - how to borrow, take care of, and give back.

You know that old expression "It's not whether you win or lose; it's how you play the game". That line was definitely not coined by a chef. Because for a chef, it's only about whether or not you pull through. If you fail, nobody cares how hard you tried.

If you're cooking for someone important - whether it's your boss or a date - never try a new recipe and a new ingredient at the same time.

Just like keeping a healthy diet is important to maintaining a healthy lifestyle, eating the right foods is just as important for getting the most out of your workout.

But one of the things I have learned during the time I have spent in the United States is an old African American saying: Each one, teach one. I want to believe that I am here to teach one and, more, that there is one here who is meant to teach me. And if we each one teach one, we will make a difference.

Clean water and access to food are some of the simplest things that we can take for granted each and every day. In places like Africa, these can be some of the hardest resources to attain if you live in a rural area.

Cooking with your kids and engaging them in hands-on activities are two ways to begin to educate children about the healthy eating, and kick start the important task to help change how the younger generation looks at food and nutrition.

In Europe I couldn't be anything but a black cook working for somebody. My inspiration was to own, to be the chef.

While I hold my own views, it's important not to get too wrapped up in individual candidates and personalities, but instead to focus on the real issues

In Ethiopia, food is often looked at through a strong spiritual lens, stronger than anywhere else I know. It's the focal point of weddings, births and funerals and is a daily ceremony from the preparation of the meal and the washing of hands to the sharing of meals.

People might not protest for overtly political or social causes, but when they can't feed themselves and their family, they will take to the streets.

In Africa, you have no clean water, but you have good food options. In Harlem, everyone can shower and get fresh water, but you often have bad food options.

Thanksgiving is probably my favorite holiday - it's a day that's American to the core and it's a day that's all about what and how we eat.

People come up to me all the time and ask how I stay the way I am, and it's no secret. The first lesson a chef needs to learn is how to handle a knife; the second is how to be around all that food.

I love Thanksgiving because it's a holiday that is centered around food and family, two things that are of utmost importance to me.

As a chef and activist, I'm particularly concerned with food politics issues such as the farm bill.

Larousse Gastronomique has always been the first and last word on classic European techniques and recipes. I love that it has expanded its reach to cover world cuisines and modern culinary innovations, making it more indispensable than ever.

Where is the stretch? Where is the perfect fit? Where does it make sense? You have to be a Baryshnikov.

I happen to love coconut, particularly for that sweet and crunchy texture it adds to any dish.

America has been very open to immigrants in terms of laws, getting loans - it has been helping immigrants more than it's been helping African Americans in starting a small business. That's key, whether you're starting a restaurant or a laundromat.