My food is Louisiana, New Orleans-based, well-seasoned, rustic. I think it's pretty unique because of my background being influenced by my mom, Portuguese and French Canadian. There's a lot going on there.

Though I love the luxury of the Waldorf Towers, room service there doesn't do soul food.

Freedom must be gained step by step, slowly. Freedom is a food which must be carefully administered when people are too hungry for it.

We created a line of pet food called Nutrish that's made to human standards, and 100 percent of the proceeds go to animal rescue. One of our top-tier donors is the ASPCA, and they help us challenge animal shelters all across the country to get more animals placed in homes.

I'm the person who wouldn't send back my food even if I got steak when I'd ordered fish.