I am a media host and food writer. Check out my monthly column and podcast with Our State and tune into The Key Ingredient on PBS, an Emmy-winning cooking show I host.
My diverse career usually has me juggling multiple projects, but I enjoy public speaking and personal appearances most of all.
I am a storyteller. I’m comfortable talking about a variety of subjects in rooms of all sizes.
I’ve been told I’m warm, engaging, credible, fun, and informative. You may have seen or heard me on TV shows, radio programs, and podcasts. I’ve spoken at everything from neighborhood garden clubs to regional food festivals.
Food writing is the heart of my work.
My favorite stories to hear, tell, and write are about the roles that our recipes, traditions, and foodways play in our families, lives, history, and culture. I write cookbooks (as an author, collaborator, consultant, or ghostwriter), recipe-driven magazine features, essays, opinion pieces, and blog posts.
My work often wins awards and accolades, but the best praise comes from readers who say that my stories ring true, and that my words are reliable, informative, and entertaining.
I develop, test, and edit recipes for my own platforms and for clients.
I’m known for creative, tempting recipes that are practical for cooks at all skill levels. I’m famous for peppering my instructions and text with useful tips to help home cooks approach cooking with more confidence and enthusiasm.
I’ve cooked for all sorts of events and people.
I’ve prepared dinners and parties in homes, helped celebrate milestone birthdays and special occasions, set up office parties and team-building activities, crafted client appreciation events and fundraisers, and wowed audiences of all sizes with cooking demos. People invite me to cook for them when they want a great time with great food, with a side dish of storytelling.
I’ve taught hundreds of sold-out classes across the country, from major cooking schools to food festivals to neighborhood homes.
I’m known for melding culinary expertise with storytelling, so everyone has fun, learns a lot, and eats well.
