I started cooking at age 15 in a restaurant and that set some good habits that I still carry forward today. I still have my first 'real' knife from that job. Now instead of cooking for hundreds of people every night, I turned in that apron and became an aviculturist. I now feed hundreds of birds every day - some more challenging than any 'gentleman' that spent a wee bit longer in the bar prior to the dining room. Seafood & vegetables - together or separately - but in a healthy style. I love to take old family favorites and make them into healthier dishes, but preserving the wonderful tastes from my past. Thanksgiving is bigger than any Christmas - a special time when the family congregates for a meal and remembering. It usually has to do with way too much food, and satisfying meat and non meat-eaters, kosher and anything goes... The common element - family. I've traveled to some 65 countries and rather than touring museums (when not working), I'd end up in markets and grocers collecting oddball condiments and hot sauces. I figured I could see monuments in books - but who's going to write about what's on aisle 3 in that corner market just outside St John's? I've learned to use 'un-American' techniques to create ethnic foods that friends enjoy more than local restaurant fare. Waiting lists for dinner invites mean something is right. Rigging up outdoor gas cookers (having 3 running off 2 gas tanks with a myriad of hoses. Turned out, the cheapo grill we added in decided to suck up all that propane when it was turned on, so things took twice as long to cook than originally planned. Luckily, the bar kept spirits (and all the partiers) high.