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Geoffrey Zakarian Biography

Geoffrey Zakarian

Geoffrey Zakarian (born July 25, 1959) is an American Iron Chef, restaurateur, television personality and author. He is the executive chef of several restaurants in New York City, Atlantic City and Miami. He is featured on several television programs on the Food Network, including Chopped and in 2011, The Next Iron Chef, where he won the right to join Iron Chef America.

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Geoffrey Zakarian Quotes

I always go to the lowest common denominator for that ingredient. So if I think squash, I try to think what it means to me -- and if it doesn't mean anything to me, I'm not gonna do well when I cook it. So [squash] means to me: fall, maple syrup, cinnamon, and things just come into your head so you can narrow the vortex and make it a bit smaller and you go with something because there's no time.

Fall, Head, Mean, Smaller, Thinking

I've been working in boutique hotels my whole life.

Hotel, Hotels, Whole, Whole Life, Working

I begin my day online and end my day online. I like to prepare myself for the next day and have a sense of closure before I go to bed.

Bed, Begin, Closure, Like, Next Day, Online

The worst day is just that I did not enter the culinary world sooner. And the best day was seeing the reaction of my one year old daughter when she tasted her first crisp apple!

Apples, Daughter, Old, Sooner, Tasted, Years

It's so funny. I honestly thought every one of those people on the show could beat anyone at any time anywhere. You just have to have a slightly off day or moment or two or you missed a touch of acid. It has nothing to do with credentials. Anyone could've chopped anyone at any time. I had to look at myself as the one who could lose this the most.

Looks, Lose, Moment, People, Slightly, Two

I'll transform anything as long as it's edible.

Edible, Long, Transform

Confit is not something that comes to mind for summer. Usually it means duck confit, made by cooking the legs and thighs in duck fat to preserve them for winter.

Legs, Mean, Mind, Preserve, Summer, Winter

I was shocked when they told me congratulations, you won, that's the good news. Then the bad news is that you have six battles next week. That was a bit of a shocker. I was exhausted. And I had Chopped shooting that same week. I didn't have a sous chef lined up; I thought that was bad karma to try to think ahead. So I scrambled. I scrambled the jets, took off and we bombed our target. I think it's gone well.

Bad, Congratulations, Exhausted, Karma, Shocked, Thinking

Days off are few and far between in the restaurant business. But on an hour off, I like to have a glass of wine with my wife.

Business, Days, Glasses, Wife, Wine

I really don't limit myself in any way. I just search for great flavors and marriages wherever they come from.

Come, Cooking, Flavor, Search, Way

I wish that restaurateurs would choose simpler and smaller glassware. The tables on restaurants these days are way too crowded, and mostly because the plates are too odd looking and big, and the wine glasses are so gigantic that it takes up the whole surface area and you can't move. I prefer smaller glassware.

Glasses, Moving, Restaurants, Simpler, Wine

Determine who you are and what your brand is, and what youre not. The rest of it is just a lot of noise.

Brand, Brands, Determine, Noise, Rest

I don't enjoy eating humble pie.

Eating, Humble, Pie

I love hospitality, and I love cooking. The kitchen is where I feel most at ease and where I feel most like myself.

Cooking, Ease, Hospitality, Kitchen, Like

A plate of food has to have balance. For example, a mild fish like skate mustnt be overwhelmed by the side dishes. They should have personality and color, but they also have to be subtle.

Color, Dishes, Mustnt, Personality, Should Have

Chestnuts are my favorite ingredient to use in the fall, especially for the holidays. I always find that they are meaty, hearty and have a mysterious refinement when cooked or roasted over sea salt.

Cooked, Fall, Holiday, Meaty, Sea, Use

Everyone could use instructions on every aspect of cooking: pantry, storage, refrigeration, cooking, what to buy. Everyone that I come into contact with could use help.

Come, Cooking, Helping, Refrigeration, Storage, Use

If you give a discount there's a desperation there and I like to substitute desperation with service and real quality. And the desperation goes away.

Give, Giving, Like, Quality, Real

I don't even look at resumes anymore. I think they're misguided. I talk to them, ask them where they've been, "What's your favorite experience in a restaurant?" Where do they like to eat? Blah blah blah. All that stuff, but I can only really describe my journey with another person if I can connect with them and their passion. Otherwise, I don't care where they've worked. It doesn't matter to me. Really I have to feel it, and then I can teach them anything.

Journey, Look, Passion, Talk, Thinking

My mother's blueberry pie from scratch was amazing. I still make it today.

Make, Mother, Pie, Scratch, Scratches

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