DANIEL HUMM

A cook never knows if the dish he perfected for hours was described properly or if a guest even liked his food. It's hard to spend hours perfecting a dish only to relinquish control. But chefs need to put aside their egos and trust the people serving the food.

Almonds can be used in sweet and savory dishes very easily.

Amuse-bouches are an opportunity to push boundaries.

As people move further away from a meat-based diet, I think the focus will shift to using grains as the central focus of our food supply.

At home, I warm milk, stir in two teaspoons of honey, and drink it in a teacup. It's so basic yet pure; I love it.

Biking takes so much time. You need three hours to get in a good ride. In one hour, you can get in a good run.

I am honored to receive the James Beard award and so incredibly proud of my entire team at Eleven Madison Park.

I can't hide where I grew up or the flavors I grew up on.

I do believe there will always be a place for beautiful cookbooks that are real books.

I go to Franny's in Brooklyn a lot. It's just a casual Italian place, but I could eat there every day.

I grew up in Zurich until I was 12, and I've always come to Vorderer Sternen for a sausage, a hunk of bread, and some mustard.

I have fond memories from growing up in Switzerland and drinking a glass of warm milk with a spoonful of honey before bed.

I love eggs. Eggs are probably one of the most versatile things we work with.

I never finished high school. In fact, I hated going to school.

I realized I was never going to be Lance Armstrong. And in biking, if you want to make money, you have to be the best.

I really feel I have found myself as a chef. It's very clear to me what I want to do - and how it should taste.

I think sometimes with the parsnip, people are maybe a little afraid and don't use it as often.

I try to run so I can eat anything I want. I feel it's a luxury to be able to splurge on something like foie gras and not have to think about it.

I would like to know more about how to cook Japanese food. I love it, but don't know much about it.

I'm from Switzerland, so I grew up with great chocolate.

If you are working with high quality products, you can elevate the flavors more by cooking it at a low temperature than you can by searing it.

It's nice when there's stuff in the middle of the table. That's when the best conversations start to happen.

My dad was not happy about my not becoming an architect like him.

No tablecloths, silver cutlery, fine porcelain, sommeliers, or deep wine lists - that's fine. But no service or hospitality? That's going too far.

Over the years, I've found myself drawn more and more to simpler meals, to dishes that are focused, and to experiences that strip away the excess.