--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I was lucky enough to have great mentors…" description: "\"I was lucky enough to have great mentors both in the culinary world and in the world of chefs who became celebrities. Bobby Flay is one of my dearest f..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec2/michael-symon-15947_chef_i-was-lucky-enough-to-have-great-mentors_1276622.png" --- # I was lucky enough to have great mentors both in the… ![“I was lucky enough to have great mentors both in the culinary world and in the world of chefs who became celebrities. Bobby Flay is one of my dearest friends and a tremendous mentor for me. Mario Batali is the same way. They began doing TV a little before me and they showed me the way.” quote by Michael Symon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec2/michael-symon-15947_chef_i-was-lucky-enough-to-have-great-mentors_1276622.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec2/michael-symon-15947_chef_i-was-lucky-enough-to-have-great-mentors_1276622.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec2/michael-symon-15947_chef_i-was-lucky-enough-to-have-great-mentors_1276622.png) > “I was lucky enough to have great mentors both in the culinary world and in the world of chefs who became celebrities. Bobby Flay is one of my dearest friends and a tremendous mentor for me. Mario Batali is the same way. They began doing TV a little before me and they showed me the way.” [Michael Symon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-symon/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker credits famous chef mentors for guiding his career, highlighting the impact of role models and media exposure in professional growth. **In simple terms:** Mentors and media exposure shaped his culinary career. Key Takeaway Seek mentors and learn from visible role models. Themes mentorship media influence career development learning networking Mood motivated grateful inspired Type reflective inspirational When to use this quote - starting a new career - skill development - media training - networking events - career transitions Key Concepts role modeling professional growth industry exposure Questions to Reflect On - Who can you learn from beyond famous names? - How does media shape your aspirations? A Different Perspective Reliance on famous figures may overlook diverse paths. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Chef](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chef/) [Culinary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/culinary/) [Food](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/food/) [Great men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-men/) [Lucky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lucky/) [Mentor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mentor/) [Mentors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mentors/) [Mentorship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mentorship/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [I like Bobby Flay's attitude and his approach towards food. I think he's just passionate and very honest. I find him very honest about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-guarnaschelli/i-like-bobby-flay-s-attitude-and-his-approach-towards-food-i-think-he/) [Alex Guarnaschelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-guarnaschelli/) > [My mom's always been a good cook, so I took a lot of stuff from her, but most of the stuff I took from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-kane/my-mom-s-always-been-a-good-cook-so-i-took-a-lot-of-stuff-from-her/) [Christian Kane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-kane/) > [After two undefeated seasons of 'Worst Cooks in America,' I'm ready for a third. Going against Bobby Flay takes the challenge to another level,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-burrell/after-two-undefeated-seasons-of-worst-cooks-in-america-i-m-ready-for/) [Anne Burrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-burrell/) > [“I cook better than a Stepford wife and Bobby Flay, COMBINED!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-andersen/i-cook-better-than-a-stepford-wife-and-bobby-flay-combined/) [Laura Andersen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-andersen/) > [I don't consider myself a food person. I'm no Bobby Flay. I'm no Emeril or Paula Deen, and I'm certainly not Rachael Ray.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-roker/i-don-t-consider-myself-a-food-person-i-m-no-bobby-flay-i-m-no-emeril/) [Al Roker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-roker/) > [Don't try to be the next Rachael Ray or Bobby Flay, we already have those people. We want someone who is going to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-flay/don-t-try-to-be-the-next-rachael-ray-or-bobby-flay-we-already-have/) [Bobby Flay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-flay/) > [I had some great mentors as I was coming up and starting to sing so early - I've been singing since I was four.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gladys-knight/i-had-some-great-mentors-as-i-was-coming-up-and-starting-to-sing-so/) [Gladys Knight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gladys-knight/) > [I was very fortunate to have some great mentors. A father that was always in my life set the example every day at home.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-fitzgerald/i-was-very-fortunate-to-have-some-great-mentors-a-father-that-was/) [Larry Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-fitzgerald/) > [When I had my daughter, I'd been chugging along in my career and had great mentors and success, but it was the first time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jen-psaki/when-i-had-my-daughter-i-d-been-chugging-along-in-my-career-and-had/) [Jen Psaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jen-psaki/) > [I don't see myself as successful because I've worked on only a handful of films. The way I look at it, if you're really,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haley-bennett/i-don-t-see-myself-as-successful-because-i-ve-worked-on-only-a/) [Haley Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haley-bennett/) > [I grew up with great mentors in my life who helped me become the singer I am today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dianne-reeves/i-grew-up-with-great-mentors-in-my-life-who-helped-me-become-the/) [Dianne Reeves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dianne-reeves/) > [I know I've had many great mentors and role models and guys to look up to; guys I've learned a lot from so I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carson-palmer/i-know-i-ve-had-many-great-mentors-and-role-models-and-guys-to-look/) [Carson Palmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carson-palmer/) > [I feel like I've been very blessed to have some great mentors through the years, starting with Don James, who was my college coach,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-saban/i-feel-like-i-ve-been-very-blessed-to-have-some-great-mentors-through/) [Nick Saban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-saban/) > [I had great mentors in my parents who always sought to understand the world around them. And they would push me to really think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mae-jemison/i-had-great-mentors-in-my-parents-who-always-sought-to-understand-the/) [Mae Jemison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mae-jemison/) > [I've talked to Frank Gore, Willis McGahee - different guys who had similar injuries to me. Those guys have been great mentors to me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teddy-bridgewater/i-ve-talked-to-frank-gore-willis-mcgahee-different-guys-who-had/) [Teddy Bridgewater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teddy-bridgewater/) ## More by Michael Symon > [Sometimes a minute is really the difference between success and failure. There are times when you finish with ten seconds left, and one extra…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-symon/sometimes-a-minute-is-really-the-difference-between-success-and/) [Michael Symon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-symon/) > [Bacon is like a good pair of Levi's-it never goes out of style.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-symon/bacon-is-like-a-good-pair-of-levi-s-it-never-goes-out-of-style/) [Michael Symon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-symon/) > [My goal in 'Live to Cook' is to make great food more approachable for home cooks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-symon/my-goal-in-live-to-cook-is-to-make-great-food-more-approachable-for/) [Michael Symon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-symon/) > [If you learn a recipe, you can cook the recipe. 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For me, I always eat very tightly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-symon/in-cleveland-i-m-so-fortunate-that-we-re-surrounded-by-farms-with-an/) [Michael Symon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-symon/) > [As the competition goes further along, you start to see who's rising and who's falling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-symon/as-the-competition-goes-further-along-you-start-to-see-who-s-rising/) [Michael Symon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-symon/) > [Go to the grocery store and buy better things. Buy quality, buy organic, buy natural, go to the farmers market. Immediately that's going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-symon/go-to-the-grocery-store-and-buy-better-things-buy-quality-buy-organic/) [Michael Symon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-symon/) > [When it comes to cooking and eating, I always try to preach that life is about moderation. 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