Vegas represents the idea of America I had as a kid. The big cars, the pretty girls; everything is possible in Vegas.
My role as a chef is respecting the produce. Why should I change and mask the original flavors of the produce that I'm utilizing?
The worst thing for me is to not taste what I'm eating, to not know what I'm eating. It upsets me to no avail.
You get a lot of young chefs who have a lot of savoir-faire, a lot of technical knowledge. What's important is to convey to them a cuisine that is made from the heart.
Right now, I am doing the reverse of molecular gastronomy. I'm working with scientists to find ingredients and produce that are proven to be good for you.
I am a gourmand. I like to eat. When I have something that I like, I tend to have too much of it. That is a guilty pleasure.