Author Profile

Morena Leite, the author of Brazil Rhythms and Recipes, is one of Brazil’s most well-known chefs but she more than just a chef. She is an artist of flavors, a passionate educator and a tireless social entrepreneur. Her work goes far beyond the kitchen — she connects people, transforms communities and plants seeds of food consciousness wherever she goes. Interviewing her I saw a sparkle in her eyes, a guiding faith behind her actions, and a clear life purpose. Morena is a unique individual — not just for her achievements or her singular name, but because she inspires generations through food made with love, technique, and intuition.

Cheong Liew is widely regarded as the Father of East-West Fusion Food. He’s been named one of the ‘ten hottest chefs alive’ by American Food & Wine Magazine and, in 1999, was the first Australian chef to be recognized with a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for his role in “developing and influencing the style of contemporary Australian cuisine”.  We are delighted to add to ckbk both his classic cookbook My Food (1995) and its 2025 followup Inside My Food, a memoir with recipes. In this feature Cheong’s friend and fellow cookbook author Roberta Muir speaks to the chef about his recipes, food philosophy and the diverse influences on his cooking.

Christina Pirello teaches whole food cooking at Walnut Hill College as well as via her web site and her Emmy-award winning PBS TV series. We just added Christina’s 2021 cookbook The Macroterranean Way to ckbk’s collection (it will soon be joined by Vegedibles, published by the author in 2023). In our latest Author Q&A, Christina shares some of the secrets behind her enduring career as a culinary educator.