I began cooking at the tender age of 8 years old when I read a book about a magic spoon for cooking stew. Over the years I absorbed most of my cooking knowledge from my father. He taught me how to make great one-pot meals for the family like vegetable soup, gumbo, Jambalaya, and the world famous "Burn Your Gut" Chili. In boy scouts, I learned how to cook over a campfire, on camp stoves, in dutch ovens, on grills, and directly on hot coals.

Today, I consider myself a master of my family of backyard grills and smokers. If it is food, I will put it on the grill. Burgers and dogs beg me to put them on my grill, and steaks bow to my command of rare, medium, and well.

My philosophy is to provide real-world experiences and knowledge about cooking and the kitchen. When I write reviews, articles, or recipes, I make sure they are as simple and easy to understand as possible, and I try to make it relevant to the home chef.