What kinds of food did you grow up with?
My family is from Augusta, but I actually grew up in Louisiana and South Georgia. So, food from my childhood includes gumbo and red beans and rice as well as homemade peach jam, Mama's Pound Cake, and Fried Chicken.

And who did you learn from growing up?
My mother first and foremost was my teacher. She loved Julia Child. So, I was the "unfortunate" 7th grader taking leftover crepes aux champignon to school for lunch. I hated it at the time, but I see now how she expanded my culinary horizons. My maternal grandmother "Meme" also had an enormous influence. There are pictures of me making biscuits with her at age three.

Ha! And after the age of three?
I am French-trained and have spent quite a bit of time in France learning, working, and traveling. I am passionate about French cooking, specifically country French cooking. I think simple country cooking is very similar the world over—fresh garden vegetables, preserving jams, jellies, and preserves, and using as much of the animal as possible. I find it very similar to Southern cooking.

How about culinary indulgences?
My life is a culinary indulgence!

You've already prepared meals for President Clinton, Julia Child and Aretha Franklin, among others. If you could cook for any three living people, who would you invite to dinner?
Wow, that's really hard. I would want to invite people I could sit down at the table with and have a fun time eating delicious food and drinking great wine. Tomorrow's answer might be different, but today my answer is Susan Sarandon, Alice Waters, and Emmylou Harris!

What would you serve?
I rarely plan special meals ahead and most often go to the market for inspiration. I'd try to blend my southern heritage with my French training. Perhaps Spring Beet Carpacchio with Bleu D'Auvergne dressed in Walnut Oil Vinaigrette, Parmigiano Reggiano Stone-ground Grits with Sauteed Mushrooms, Fried Catfish, Okra and Tomatoes, and Chocolate Pots de Creme for dessert.

You are obviously passionate about what you do. What keeps you excited about food?
I can't really explain it. I don't consider it work. I prefer an afternoon and a good market over shopping at Lenox! Every time I taste something new I feel like the proverbial kid in a candy store.

What do you love about teaching?
Meme always wanted me to be a school teacher, but I did not want to. Mama laughed a few months ago, commenting on my cooking classes and said that I turned out to be a teacher after all! I love teaching because I am sharing my passion with others. It's really fun for me. I remember my curiosity when I first started cooking—to be able to share that passion and to teach someone basic techniques is very rewarding.

I know you get asked this a lot... what was it like working with Martha Stewart?
Working with Martha was an amazing opportunity. Her show had just moved from cable to national network and it was really exciting. Many people ask me about her, was she nice, mean, and on and on. Frankly, the experiences were astonishing. When we cooked for President Clinton, I called a fisherman in Alaska and had him go catch the salmon that afternoon. It was sent overnight for our luncheon the following day. The fish was so tender and succulent it really seemed a shame to cook it. No, everything wasn't perfect all the time, and yes, those times were sometimes less than pleasant. However, during the time that I worked with Martha, I was surrounded by nothing but A+ people giving 150% with limitless resources, I was well compensated, and learning something new everyday. Who could ask for more?

What will be on your table at home this spring?
Yum—morels, fava beans, asparagus, peas, baby Vidalia's, and hopefully fiddlehead ferns. It's such a great time of year for cooking after the winter doldrums.