My Story

I’m a firm believer that food, security and love are entwined in the meals we cook and serve our family and friends. Having grown-up in a big Italian family on my dad’s side, it was hard not to be psyched about food; my mom, Rose, always cooked simple, fresh food for our family of six and it wasn’t until I had to start doing it myself that I appreciated it. My love for cooking started early with our family meals and blossomed into a career at the age of sixteen as a prep cook, and on to chef, cooking teacher, caterer, food editor, author and food writer.

I am the author of five cookbooks (available here and where other fine books are sold), and appear regularly on QVC with an awesome multi-purpose line of kitchenware. Being the erstwhile Senior Vice President, Executive Editorial Director of Food and Entertaining at Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, and the host of my own television show Mad Hungry: Bringing Back the Family Meal, and cohosting Everyday Food on PBS for six years, has kept me overly busy for too many years.

I live in a cozy (i.e. small) New York City apartment where miraculously three baby boys grew into tall men, who, after all this time observing me in the kitchen, now challenge with me over how to best make the Thanksgiving turkey that I have cooked for them for the last 25 years. And there’s nothing that brings me more satisfaction to share my love of the family meal with my sons.

I continue my journey as a mom on a mission to pay forward what I’ve learned feeding my family through the years. Mad Hungry is the culmination of this journey: The headquarters for home cooks looking for proven recipes, strategies, and inspiration done affordably, easily, accessibly, and, most of all, with joy and love.