Born in Kerala, India, freelance food writer Ammini Ramachandran immigrated to the United States in 1971. She writes a column on spices, and her recipes and articles have appeared in The Providence Journal, Flavor & Fortune, and Food History Primer. Her first cookbook is Grains, Greens, and Grated Coconuts.

Chef Ezra Tilte from chezvous (Toronto, Canad) defines Ramps: "Ramps, also known as wild leeks, are among the first plants to emerge in the spring. They grow in moist, deciduous forests like Maple and have a distinct aroma and flavour, similar to spring onions and garlic."

A.J. Rathbun is a freelance food and entertaining writer and the author of Party Drinks! His work has appeared in numerous national publications. A.J. also teaches mixology classes at cooking schools. His latest book is Good Spirits.

Michael Recchiuti started his chocolate business in San Francisco in 1997 after a successful career at some of the top restaurants in Philadelphia. His chocolates were soon recognized for their sophistication and originality, and they have been featured in the New York Times, Food & Wine, and many other publications. He lives in San Francisco. He is the co-author of Chocolate Obsession with Fran Gage.

Peter Reinhart is a full-time baking instructor at Johnson and Wales University in Charlotte, North Carolina. He was the cofounder of the legendary Brother Juniper's Bakery in Santa Rosa, California, and is the author of six books on bread baking, including Brother Juniper's Bread Book, Whole Grain Breads and the 2002 James Beard and IACP Book of the Year, The Bread Baker's Apprentice.

Stephane Reynaud is co-owner of the restaurant Villa 9 Trois in Montreuil, just outside of Paris, France. Pork & Sons is his first cookbook.

Kathy FitzHenry from The Occasional Gourmet (San Francisco, CA) defines Rice Bran Oil as: "This is a favorite cooking oil in Japan. It is light, high in vitamin E and has a relatively high smoke point making it ideal for vegetable tempuras."

Lenny Rice left the East Coast for Napa in 1996, to teach at Robert Mondavi Winery. In 2000, he formed the original culinary team at Copia with Brigid Callinan. Lenny has since become head cheesemonger at Cowgirl Creamery/Tomales Bay Foods. He lives in Petaluma, California. Fondue is his first cookbook.

Michel Richard, chef of Citronelle in Washington, D.C., made that rarest of leaps in the world of food—from the pastry kitchen to chef of one of the country’s foremost restaurants. A chef who inspires colleagues with his creativity of invention, he was among the first chefs inducted into the James Beard Foundation’s Who’s Who in American Food and Wine. He has been a guest on Good Morning America and the Food Network, and is featured regularly in such publications as Gourmet. He lives in Washington, D.C., with his wife and children. Susie Heller, executive producer of PBS’s Chef Story, has produced award-winning television cooking series and co-authored numerous award-winning books, among them The French Laundry Cookbook by Thomas Keller and Bouchon by Thomas Keller and Jeffrey Cerciello. She lives in Napa, California. Peter Kaminsky is a cookbook author and a New York Times columnist, and was the Underground Gourmet for New York magazine. He has written books with chefs Gray Kunz, Daniel Boulud, and Fabio Trabocchi. He lives in New York City. His latest cookbook is Happy in the Kitchen.

Roast is to cook by the circulation of dry heat.  Roasting is almost always done in a shallow uncovered pan without added liquid so the food will brown and crisp. This is how poultry and large pieces of meat such as leg of lamb, prime rib, ham and so on are traditionally prepared.

Robin Robertson is a vegetarian cooking instructor and former chef. She has written numerous books, including Vegan Planet, Fresh From the Vegetarian Slow Cooker, and The Vegetarian Meat & Potatoes Cookbook. She is a frequent contributor to magazines and newspapers. Her latest book is One-Dish Vegetarian Meals.

Chef Alan Kantor, MacCallumn House Restaurant (Mendocino, CA) defines Romesco Sauce: "A sauce made from the Catalan region of Spain, a region near the Pyrenees. It is very simple. I do it in the food processor with some toasted almonds, toasted garlic, serrano chilies, roasted red bell peppers, and roma tomatoes. Then we mix into that a little lemon, sea salt and olive oil. We serve it many ways - currently on our menu is served over grilled salmon."

Michael Ruhlman has authored six nonfiction books, including The Soul of a Chef and The Making of a Chef. He lives in Cleveland Heights, Ohio. His latest book is The Elements of Cooking.