I had decided I wanted to write about food, and I knew the only way to do that is to speak with authority, which meant learning the language and knowing what that experience is like.
I'm tempted by everything. My husband makes fun of me because every day it's a new food that I love. I have a weakness for butterscotch pudding, ice cream in any flavor and dark chocolate, although that's one thing I do keep in my house - 70% dark chocolate.
I also have a soft spot for spicy chicken wings. They are always best eaten at dives and sports bars, like Wogie's in the West Village, New York City, near my house.
At the beginning of the week, I roast a ton of vegetables so I can use them for the next few days. I also plan out meals in advance.
I sit at this really weird crossroads. My job requires me to take in calories. I take care of myself. I eat healthy. I exercise a lot. But then I have to go to events in cocktail dresses and look fancy, and people want to interview me about what I'm wearing, and then I'm compared to people who are wearing size 2 all the time.
When I'm cooking for myself, I find that I eat almost completely vegetarian, although I'm not vegetarian.
I run a solid 4-6 miles at a time, and over the last year two years I've gotten really into SoulCycle. It's sort of an evolved form of spinning.
Because I travel so much, I bring my workout clothes and shoes wherever I go. That way I can always do some exercise.
I'm a healthy weight for my height, and I like how I look on most days.
There are few women in America that don't want to lose 5 pounds, but I refuse to let that thought dominate my life. And there are too many other real problems in the world - real obesity problems and real hunger problems - to worry that much about a few pounds that I'd like to lose.
I am a glutton for a beautiful hotel. I am so easily smitten by high thread counts.
Balance is key in cooking - you want a little acid, a little sweet, a little savory - the flavors should be harmonious.
Like baseball, food will never go out of style; we will always need to eat and we will always find it entertaining. I think of food TV this way - all the fun and none of the calories.
There's not a single chef I know of that does not think about the politics of the food they're serving.
You don't get second chances in the real world.
I never really drank coffee in college, but now I'm on my feet all day and out all night and can't believe it hasn't always been in my life. When morning comes I crave it.
Canada is a big part of my life.
I was very, very little - it was the first time I ever cooked on my own, with my mother's supervision - and I made scrambled eggs. I felt so accomplished, like magic!
There are days when I literally have to eat 17 plates of food - it's intense. It's about moderation. You just need a few bites to get the gist of a dish.
I have a mantra in my head that there will always be another meal. I can put my fork down, knowing there will be good things in my future!
