Cheers and welcome to CookWithJames. As you can probably tell cooking is my passion. There is almost nothing I love more than throwing dinner parties for my friends and coming up with wonderful and creative dishes. The combination of the creative process, the planning and preparation of the dishes, and the act of giving to my friends is quite simply very rewarding. The intensity and focus that cooking requires is also extremely satisfying.

Five years ago I only knew how to cook a few dishes. One day--shortly after 9/11 and the closure of internet company Quidnunc--I found myself watching FoodNetwork. Wolfgang Puck was preparing Chilean Sea Bass with braised escarole and cannellini beans. I liked his personality and how he seemed so happy to be preparing the food. And so I thought that I should give it a try. What a wonderful way to channel one's creativity! So I recorded the show and watched it several times to understand the preparation. That day I went out and bought some wonderful sea bass and put the dish together that night as a surprise for Pia. It was my first major dish and it turned out very well (though my presentation skills have improved considerably over the years).

From that moment on cooking became a daily part of my life. Here are the major events that occurred over the next few years that shaped my learning and cooking techniques:

Fritz & Jeff: In 2002 Pia and I moved into a beautiful condo on Masonic and Frederick in Ashbury Heights. Little did we know that nearly the entire building was into cooking in a big way. Fritz, in particular, has been a source of learning and inspiration for me. He has worked at Chez Panisse for many years as both a chef and more recently as the ghost writer for Alice Waters. I do not know anyone who knows more about food than Fritz.

Michael Tusk: Chef Tusk and his wife Lindsay were kind enough to allow me to work in the Quince kitchen on the weekends. I did this for eight months and learned so much more than I could ever hope to get from a book or cooking show. Michael is simply amazing. The menu at Quince changes each and every day and always showcases the finest local and seasonal ingredients. Quince is truly a labor of love. Visit the restaurant's site at www.quincerestaurant.com.

Italy: I have traveled all over Italy and have spent time with many chefs in different regions. One of the very first lessons I learned was how to properly cook pasta so that it was "al dente." On my most recent trip my friend Victoria and I cooked dinner for a chef in Firenze. We also explored the cucina Romana and the food of Naples and Campania with great enthusiasm and dedication.

Victoria & A16: My friend Victoria--also a fellow foodie--is an ongoing inspiration as well. I know few people who are more passionate about food than she. Her restaurant, A16, features authentic pizzas and regional dishes from Campania. There is no where better in the entire country to find a truly authentic Pizza Napoletana. Though Una Pizza Napoletana in NYC comes close it does not offer all the other wonderful dishes of A16. The selection of wines from Campania and farther south (down to Sicily) is amazing. Visit the restaurant's site at www.a16sf.com.

Joseph: My friend Joseph hails from Brittany, France and has been in the restaurant business for 40 years. He spent 27 of those in San Francisco and was responsible for opening Zazie in Cole Valley and Town House in Emeryville. Joseph is a regular at my supper club parties and is an ongoing source and inspiration for food. Our next project is to build a rotisserie in my fireplace!

Thank you for visiting CookWithJames. My plan is to have updates (short video clips, recipes, food ideas, etc) each and every day. Please come back regularly!

James (Sunday, June 11, 2006)