I don’t have the shallots and garlic neatly chopped in little bowls or anything. I kind of wing it because it’s too boring otherwise, and I find the fear of failure keeps you more engaged and in the moment than if you’re always looking down at a recipe. I taught myself to cook by watching Jacques Pépin on Boston Public Television during grad school in the ‘80s. There’s this Jacques Pépin-making-an-omelet video on YouTube that’s the classic. He’s basically the world’s best cook, and without question the chef I watch the most.

When it’s really cold, I get on the treadmill and watch courses on YouTube — I’m a total nerd. Lately I’ve been running to a great Yale course by historian John Merriman. He does modern French history in 45-minute lectures, which is perfect for a run.