One of America's first celebrity chefs, he publicized himself and his hotel by inventing dishes, writing cookbooks, and hosting extravagant meals.

Chinese newspapers regularly carry stories about the latest arrests or executions with details about officials using government money to pay for prostitutes, luxury homes, extravagant meals and vacations.

Of course, there are those hostesses who do not take offense when a guest stares at an extravagant meal, pats his stomach and asks for salad, dressing on the side.

She does not have enough money to pay for extravagant meals.

"When I was 6," he recalls over yet another extravagant meal, this evening at Bouley Bakery.

Now, with affluent consumers binging again on extravagant meals, big cars and big cigars, opulent accessories seem like a natural choice.

In the afternoon he starts by sleeping, then takes over the kitchen and insists on preparing extravagant five-course meals.

In this hourlong musical, Annabel endures a humiliating parent-teacher meeting, finds out that her father-husband is very stingy and is asked to cook an extravagant meal.

Daryl seems to regard them as trophies gained while waging class warfare, although he is happy to take advantage of the extravagant meals and lodging the women provide.

I do not make extravagant meals all the time, but after something traumatic, well, the crew needs a pick-me-up.