Man v. Food' was the biggest career-defining opportunity. I went from anonymity to someone of note with access to amazing eateries.

In a day and age when there are so many culinary competitions - ranging from contests of taste to those of technique - The World Food Championships will be the ultimate food competition.

The Travel Channel had success with their 'Food Paradise' series, '10 Best Places to Pig Out' and those types of specials, so they knew there was a market for comfort food and wanted to develop a show around it.

My most memorable food challenge was probably the Big Texan in Amarillo. All the big executives called me because it was such an iconic challenge, and a victory in that would be a legitimizing device for myself as much as for the show.

The thing that always strikes me is how much power one person has. Everybody has so much power to help and to change if they just exercise it and get after it.

I love fitness, yoga. I love fashion. On the weekends, I try to relax. I have pretty crazy weeks. I like spas and nice dinners. I'm not much of a club person. I like to hang on the beach in Malibu.

People have responded to my stories so well. They come up after a show and say things like, 'Your album really helped me,' or 'I have stage four cancer. I'm terminally ill.' Somebody told me it gave them the courage to die.

Our health underpins our happiness and is a foundation of economic advancement.