CULINARY ADVISORY BOARD

Frederic "Fritz" Sonnenschmidt, C.M.C.

Fritz is a certified master chef (CMC) and former National Chairman of the American Academy of Chefs. A master in garde manger, Fritz is a retired dean and current culinary ambassador of The Culinary Institute of America at Hyde Park, N.Y. In July 2005, he was inducted into the American Academy of Chefs (AAC) Hall of Fame and in 2003 he received the academy's Chair Medallion for upholding Culinary Tradition. He authored "Taste and Tales of a Chef" and "Dining with Sherlock Holmes," co-authored "The Professional Chef's Art of Garde Manger" and is an editor of American Harvest.

Abigail Johnson Dodge

Based in Southport, Conn., Abby is a cookbook author and culinary instructor as well as a contributing editor at Fine Cooking where she founded the magazine's test kitchen. USA Today, and Food and Wine Magazine named her most recent book, "The Weekend Baker," one of the Top Ten Cookbooks of the Year. It was also an IACP (International Association of Culinary Professionals) Cookbook Award Finalist. Her other books, "Kids Baking," "Williams-Sonoma Dessert," "The Kid's Cookbook" and "Great Fruit Desserts," have received critical acclaim. She was also a contributor to "The 75th Anniversary Editon of The Joy of Cooking," "The New Joy of Cooking," "Cookies for Christmas" and "Savoring America," which was nominated for a James Beard Award and received the prestigious Ben Franklin Award. Abby's sixth book, "The World on a Plate," will be published internationally in the spring of 2008.

Judith M. Fertig

A cookbook author, and food and lifestyle writer, Judith spends some of her working life in a tiara as one of the BBQ Queens. With co-author Karen Adler she wrote "Weeknight Grilling with the BBQ Queens," the second in a four-part series. In 2006, the BBQ Queens were featured on the Food Network, and in Bon Appetit and Southern Living. Most recently, Judith's work has appeared in Food & Wine, Vegetarian Times, Better Homes & Gardens and Cooking Light. Internationally, her work has appeared in Saveur, "Mary Engelbreit's Home Companion," Cooking Pleasures, Country Living, Country Home, Spaces, Country Homes and Interiors (London), The New York Times, The London Sunday Times, and many others. She recently ended a six-year run as a columnist for the award-winning Kansas City Star newspaper. Her professional culinary training includes La Varenne Ecole de Cuisine, then located in Paris, and the Cordon Bleu in London.

Susan Goss

Susan is executive chef and co-owner of West Town Tavern, which celebrates contemporary comfort food. A master gardener, she is active in her community and volunteers her time in community gardens, farmer's markets and children's cooking programs. She is a supporter of Taste of the NFL, a national hunger relief effort that supports America's Second Harvest.

Robert Yamarone

New York- and Los Angeles-based chef, food consultant, instructor and food stylist, Robert is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America. He is the food editor and fitness chef for bodyarchitect.tv where he can be seen demonstrating food tips and recipes on streaming video weekly. He is a recipe developer and food stylist for many major food and lifestyle publications, including Men's Journal, Women's Health, Men's Vogue and Life & Style Magazine. He lectures, does demonstrations and teaches privately throughout the United States. Robert also demonstrates his recipes, master knife skills and plate presentations on national and local television programs.