To my mother Linda Watts. They say that the drummer is the backbone of the band and I can honestly say you have been the backbone to my career and all my crazy ideas. We have had so many adventures attached to food and all of those have led up to so many great accomplishments, from a small cable show where you were the dishwasher, set designer, and producer, to helping me film and send in VHS tapes to the Food Network, driving me to cooking competitions, consoling me when I lost, and hugging me when I won. You have designed menus and proposals for me, we opened a restaurant what seems like a lifetime ago, we’ve had premiere parties for my debut on television and many more adventures that you and I laugh about with great pride. Well Mom, now we can add a cookbook. You have been there for the really hard times and always brought a huge smile to the really great times, your calm loving nature and ability to not break my spirit has been paramount to everything I have accomplished. If you take yourself out of this equation it would take 100 lifetimes to try and recreate the success I have had. Without you, Mom, it just doesn’t work. I love you and thank you for being right by my side for this lifelong journey, and cheers to our first cookbook.
