>>> THIS MORNING ON "TODAY"
>>> THIS MORNING ON "TODAY" FOOD, A SPECIAL HOLIDAY TREAT.
FOOD, A SPECIAL HOLIDAY TREAT. ERIC RIPERT IS HERE.
ERIC RIPERT IS HERE. >> HAILED AS ONE OF THE BEST
>> HAILED AS ONE OF THE BEST RESTAURANTS IN THE UNITED
RESTAURANTS IN THE UNITED STATES, IT RECEIVED ANOTHER BIG
STATES, IT RECEIVED ANOTHER BIG HONOR.
HONOR. IT’S DECLARED THE BEST
IT’S DECLARED THE BEST RESTAURANT IN THE WORLD BY LA
RESTAURANT IN THE WORLD BY LA LISTE, A FRENCH COMPANY THAT
LISTE, A FRENCH COMPANY THAT REVIEWED 15,000 CONTENDERS.
REVIEWED 15,000 CONTENDERS. WE THOUGHT YOU HAD WON EVERY
WE THOUGHT YOU HAD WON EVERY AWARD IMAGINABLE.
AWARD IMAGINABLE. WHAT DID THAT MEAN TO YOU IN
WHAT DID THAT MEAN TO YOU IN YOUR RESTAURANT WORLD?
YOUR RESTAURANT WORLD? >> IT MEANS IT’S A GREAT
>> IT MEANS IT’S A GREAT MOTIVATION.
MOTIVATION. WE’RE SO PASSIONATE.
WE’RE SO PASSIONATE. EVERY DAY, WE CREATE EXPERIENCES
EVERY DAY, WE CREATE EXPERIENCES FOR THE GUESTS.
FOR THE GUESTS. OF COURSE, THE FOOD HAS TO BE
OF COURSE, THE FOOD HAS TO BE DELICIOUS.
DELICIOUS. IT’S MUCH MORE THAN THE FOOD.
IT’S MUCH MORE THAN THE FOOD. TO BE REWARDED BY LA LISTE,
TO BE REWARDED BY LA LISTE, WHICH IS PRESTIGIOUS, IT’S BIG
WHICH IS PRESTIGIOUS, IT’S BIG FOR US.
FOR US. >> YOUR INCREDIBLE RESTAURANT
>> YOUR INCREDIBLE RESTAURANT HAS HAD THE THREE-STAR MICHELIN
HAS HAD THE THREE-STAR MICHELIN RATING, WHICH IS THE HIGHEST
RATING, WHICH IS THE HIGHEST RATING.
RATING. HOW DO YOU MAINTAIN THAT
HOW DO YOU MAINTAIN THAT STANDARD OF EXCELLENCE EVERY
STANDARD OF EXCELLENCE EVERY DAY?
DAY? >> WHAT IS INTERESTING, IF YOU
>> WHAT IS INTERESTING, IF YOU WANT TO HAVE REWARDS, YOU HAVE
WANT TO HAVE REWARDS, YOU HAVE TO FORGET ABOUT THAT AND FOCUS
TO FORGET ABOUT THAT AND FOCUS ON YOUR DAILY ROUTINE, WHICH IS
ON YOUR DAILY ROUTINE, WHICH IS TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU’RE GOING
TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU’RE GOING TO COOK DELICIOUS FOOD.
TO COOK DELICIOUS FOOD. YOU’RE GOING TO HAVE A BEAUTIFUL
YOU’RE GOING TO HAVE A BEAUTIFUL DINING ROOM.
DINING ROOM. WHEN YOU HAVE NO PRESSURE, YOU
WHEN YOU HAVE NO PRESSURE, YOU GO TO WORK AND YOU HAVE FUN.
GO TO WORK AND YOU HAVE FUN. AND THE TEAM IS EXCITED TO COME.
AND THE TEAM IS EXCITED TO COME. IT’S THE WAY IT WORKS.
IT’S THE WAY IT WORKS. POTENTIALLY, YOU GET THE
POTENTIALLY, YOU GET THE REWARDS.
REWARDS. >> YOU’RE AN INCREDIBLE CHEF.
>> YOU’RE AN INCREDIBLE CHEF. AND SPEAKING OF INCREDIBLE
AND SPEAKING OF INCREDIBLE CHEFS, ANTHONY BOURDAIN IS
CHEFS, ANTHONY BOURDAIN IS SOMEONE THAT WE FELT THAT WE
SOMEONE THAT WE FELT THAT WE KNEW.
KNEW. BUT YOU ACTUALLY KNEW HIM.
BUT YOU ACTUALLY KNEW HIM. ONE OF YOUR CLOSEST FRIENDS.
ONE OF YOUR CLOSEST FRIENDS. I FEEL LIKE WE DON’T KNOW A LOT
I FEEL LIKE WE DON’T KNOW A LOT ABOUT HIM.
ABOUT HIM. WHAT ARE THINGS THAT WE DON’T
WHAT ARE THINGS THAT WE DON’T KNOW ABOUT THIS MAN WHO YOU
KNOW ABOUT THIS MAN WHO YOU LOVED SO MUCH?
LOVED SO MUCH? >> ANTHONY WAS A VERY LOYAL
>> ANTHONY WAS A VERY LOYAL FRIEND.
FRIEND. VERY NOBLE.
VERY NOBLE. VERY GENEROUS WITH HIS FANS.
VERY GENEROUS WITH HIS FANS. I HAVE NEVER SEEN SOMEONE TO
I HAVE NEVER SEEN SOMEONE TO GENEROUS AND SPENDING SO MUCH
GENEROUS AND SPENDING SO MUCH TIME WITH SIGNING BOOKS, TAKING
TIME WITH SIGNING BOOKS, TAKING PICTURES.
PICTURES. WHEN HE WAS DOING A LINE, UNTIL
WHEN HE WAS DOING A LINE, UNTIL THE LAST ONE, HE WOULD STAY
THE LAST ONE, HE WOULD STAY THERE.
THERE. ON TELEVISION, HE WAS TAKING US
ON TELEVISION, HE WAS TAKING US ON HIS TRIPS.
