I always want my guests to be happy and impressed.

Ultimately, I realized that in order to write about food you need to understand everything about cooking, so I moved to New York and enrolled in the Institute of Culinary Education.

At the beginning of the week, I roast a ton of vegetables so I can use them for the next few days. I also plan out meals in advance.

The less you do to beautiful food, the better it's going to taste. You don't need to mess with it all the time.

I love The Inn at Palmetto Bluff, an Auberge Property in Bluffton, South Carolina. Its a spectacular corner of the world, with massive old trees lined with Spanish moss, and alligators swimming in the river.

I cook mostly vegetarian vegetable and bean stews. Quinoa salads. I make my mother-in-law's recipe for chicken and barley stew all the time.

I always want my guests to be happy and impressed.