Say What? Grillaxin's Top 11 Quotes of 2011

Josh Henderson

Unrest could easily be the word of the year as, like many of us, a handful of young taste-makers felt the urge in 2011 to shake things up a bit by leaving seemingly cushy gigs, or expanding existing empires, in order to pursue their dreams of creating their own joy and fulfillment. Often, the brutal honesty and refreshing spirit of these determined dynamos is an indication of their endeavor's future success. Passion and conviction usually equals prosperity, and isn't that what we always clink our champagne glasses to on New Year's Eve? "Cheers!" to letting your fervor shine in a big fiery ball of candor as we present, and appreciate, the Top 11 Grillaxin quotes of 2011.

Dana Tough and Brian McCraken

Dana Tough, The Coterie Room, on what he and business partner Brian McCraken have learned in the last three years:

"In the beginning, we were much more ego-driven. We look back at our early decisions and just laugh."

Charles Walpole, The Blind Pig Bistro, on his local culinary pet peeve:

"I think there's too much happy hour. It's a necessary evil. Everyone does it. All anyone reads in the Seattle Times food section is happy hour now. Everyone's looking for a deal."

Walt Wagner, Canlis, on whether or not there's anything he won't play:

"No, but I don't like New York, New York. And I don't like My Way. I like Frank Sinatra, but those are such sappy songs. I shouldn't say that because so many people love those songs, but they're not my favorites. The bartender, James MacWilliams, he always looks up at me when I play New York, New York because he knows how I feel about it. I'll play it, but I won't make a production out of it."

Robin Leventhal

Robin Leventhal, Chef at Large, on why she has no plans to ever resuscitate Crave:

"Still to this day, people beg me to reopen it. They miss it. And it's so endearing to me and a piece of me is like, 'I have the sign in my garage. Why don't I turn around and open it? I still have my business license. But the reality is I can't go back and do what I've already done."

Josh Henderson, Skillet, on what the last four years have been like for him:

"We learned not quickly enough that street food was never going to be the foundation of at least a financial empire -- it'll be the foundation of our business and the brand and who we are as DNA, but it's never going to take us to our Bacon Jammer yacht that we have planned."