I came here because the city has a tradition and is a very respected food city.

The remark frames Lagasse’s move as a deliberate apprenticeship to place: he chose a city not merely for opportunity but for its culinary lineage and reputation. By emphasizing “tradition” and “respected food city,” he signals that great cooking is rooted in local history, ingredients, and communal standards—an ethos especially associated with American regional capitals of cuisine. The quote also functions as a statement of professional humility and ambition: he sought an environment where expectations were high and where he could learn from an established food culture, rather than trying to build credibility in a culinary vacuum.