For me, too many chefs and too many restaurants are too precious about what they serve. They create what they see as a temple of gastronomy and it becomes an experience of how fantastic everything is, rather than 'just come and have a nice time'. That's it... it's that simple.

Many creative people, especially the young, may feel their chaotic or disordered relationship with the world is indispensable to their creative freedom. The more anarchic, the better! However, after considerable fieldwork in this area, I have yet to find it so. I have come to understand that the muscle of the imagination is strengthened through resistance, discipline and order.

When I asked for advice on how to start such a business, many senior executives told me, "You can't possibly succeed doing what big companies have failed to do."

I absolutely don’t believe in doing … focus groups and all that shit. Proctor and Gamble-style, no risk. Just do it

I worked as an editor until I joined the New Yorker , and so I’m an extremely tough self-editor. I also love being edited. I love a hard edit. It’s a privilege to be edited hard.

You have kids and you’re forced to remember that time actually extends. The world extends, policy extends, stakes extend past your own life.

the natural tendency to solidify a narrative that makes you look good

I actually did write a novel. I worked on it for five years, and then I shelved it because it was bad.

I wrote while listening to Caribou, Kamasi Washington, Frank Ocean, Mitski. Towards the end, a lot of Talk Talk.

At a basic level, I think something is successful if I think I got myself anywhere new at all.