Marcus Samuelsson

“Every time you use the word ‘healthy,’ you lose. The key is to make yummy, delicious food that happens to be healthy.”

“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.”

“Most cultures traditionally link food and spirituality directly with periodic restrictions and celebrations punctuating the year. Abstinence from particular foods or full-on fasting is part of many religious traditions and holidays.”

“I don’t distinguish the music I listen to from great music – it’s just music. There shouldn’t be an announcement that divides our food between what tastes good and what is good for us.”

“You have to balance, but you can be aggressive as a chef. It benefits the food. You have to be passionate. You can’t be angry cooking.”

“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.”

“I am a chef through and through. Everything I do – whether it is cooking for kids in Harlem or cooking in a fine dining establishment – all my days are consumed by food.”

“As a chef, I always have in mind how to properly feed the public, but at times it’s easy to forget that some people have trouble even getting any food, much less adequate nutrition.”