Michael Mina

Chefs become attracted to being able to get product and then clientele - those are the two things that attract you as a chef.

I'm not a big breakfast eater.

I loved the cooking; that was what I was passionate about, but getting to watch the guests eat - because you could see everything from the kitchen - just watching people eat and looking at the plates when they came back, just understanding, this is such an amazing job.

My last two years of high school, I did work-study half the day, and I ran the restaurant. It was just this little restaurant, but it was just so cool. I had 35, 40 employees.

I liked to screw around in the kitchen when I was a kid. But I started cooking when I was 15.

I love San Francisco; it's very hard to compete with San Francisco when it comes to availability of product, but one thing you can't replace about Las Vegas or Miami is people are walking in the door and they want to have a good time.

If I'd never gone out and done more than one restaurant, my food wouldn't be as good as it is today. I've learned a lot from people who work for me.

There's always room to improve in a restaurant. A restaurant is better or worse every day than it was the day before. It's impossible not to be, because it's human.

When restaurants start to mature - and usually the five-year time is the time when the restaurant starts to settle in and have its own personality - your job is to grow it.

I'm passionate about pleasing people.

I had always been told cooking was a servant's job.

When your parents are Middle Eastern immigrants, you have three choices. You can become a doctor, a lawyer or an engineer.

I look at each one of my restaurants, and I want my personality to come out. Some are serious, some are intense when it comes to food and wines, some are meat masters supreme. I enjoy all my guests.

Even in fine-dining restaurants, you have people that say 'I want to be out in half hour', 'I want to be out in 45 minutes.' It happens.

You have to always remember who your guest is, and that's who we cater to.

Food is all about balance; it is all about taste.

I did want to share with you one of the greatest lessons I've learned over the years cooking for my kids - there is enormous value in bringing children into the kitchen.

Bringing your kids into the kitchen doesn't require you to be a top chef; only time and maybe a willingness to get a little messy.

When designing a kitchen, always keep in mind the social aspect.

I like complicated dishes but also appreciate simple foods.