Katie Lee

For Katie Lee, cooking wasn't just a hobby growing up - it was a way of life. Raised in a modest, tight knit West Virginia family, each evening centered around the dinner menu.

Eager to get involved, Katie began cooking at the tender age of four, under the guidance of her mentor, Grandma Dora. Using fresh vegetables from her grandpa's garden and meat from the family's cattle and pig farms, Katie quickly learned the value of seasonal ingredients.

From food to fashion Katie summarizes her style with her three c's – casual, comfortable with a couture finish. She also refers to her culinary approach as "conscious consumption."

She explains, "If you are what you eat, then you should know what you are eating." This philosophy is clearly reflected in her first cookbook, The Comfort Table. Many of the classic recipes come directly from her grandma's kitchen, but with Katie's special twist. "By using fresh organic ingredients and a delectable variety of vegetables, comfort food doesn't have to be unhealthy," she exclaims. The book also encourages readers to acknowledge that eating is not just about what you serve, but how you make your guests feel.

Her second book, The Comfort Table: Everyday Occasions, released in 2009, further expands on this philosophy. It features menus for various celebrations at home (Mother's Day Brunch, Beach Picnic, Fall Harvest Dinner, Retro Cocktail Party, Cinco de Mayo, etc.) that take the reader from start to finish offering full menus including appetizers, entrees and dessert. Simple suggestions for décor and ipod playlists complement the theme of the meal to round out the experience, making a night at home an easily elegant occasion.

Katie's broad culinary experience ranges from hosting the first season of Bravo's hit reality series, Top Chef, to her own culinary and lifestyle column, Katie's Kitchen, which is published weekly in Hampton's Magazine. She regularly appears as a Special Correspondent, covering food and fashion for Extra and serves on the Judges panel on Food Network's, Iron Chef America.

Active in several non-profit organizations, Katie sits on the Chefs Council of Chefs For Humanity and dedicates time to Les Dames d'Escoffier, an organization that educates and mentors women in the culinary profession.