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Susan Spungen--cook, food stylist, recipe developer, editor and author--epitomizes the modern cook. What ties these roles together, besides an immersion in the world of food, is her distinctive mix of simplicity and high-definition style. Moving from background to forefront in the food world, Spungen has helped redefine the way American cooks approach the home kitchen.

In 1977, Spungen began her cooking career at the Commissary, a legend in its time in Philadelphia. The restaurant's expanse of globe-trotting dishes were a gastronomic revelation for the 17-year-old, and she found herself falling in love with food.

When she enrolled in Philadelphia College of Art (now University of the Arts) a year later, Spungen continued to support herself with a string of restaurant jobs. From co-workers, she absorbed restaurant lore, techniques, recipes and the wisdom of classical training. The experience worked, and Spungen was a natural: she knew food. Her culinary talents were validated when, in 1990, she moved to New York City and renowned restaurateur Pino Luongo, preparing to open Coco Pazzo, insisted she join his team as Pastry Chef. Confirmation of his instinct for talent and Spungen's abilities came shortly after, when the Upper East Side Tuscan restaurant received three stars from the New York Times.

In 1991, Spungen joined a fledgling magazine, Martha Stewart Living, as founding food editor and was charged with creating a test-kitchen and food department. In the beginning, she did everything: conceived, developed, and tested recipes, styled the recipes for photo shoots, then explained the total concept to readers. The position was a perfect pairing of Spungen's love of food and clear artistic vision. Her artistic eye and penchant for quiet elegance became the defining factor in the much-emulated, bright, clean look of the Martha Stewart brand.

As the company grew, Spungen also co-authored the award-winning bestseller Martha Stewart's Hors D'Oeuvres Handbook and helped launch the first Martha Stewart all-food title, Everyday Food. She appeared regularly on Martha Stewart Living TV and helped create a line of kitchenware for K-Mart. Her bi-monthly column, "Easy Entertaining", appeared in Martha Stewart Living through 2004 and was filled with practical tips on how to entertain and impress without stress.

Spungen's 2006 IACP award-winning cookbook, RECIPES: A Collection for the Modern Cook, reflects her talents and experiences, and is a compilation of her favorite recipes. RECIPES is a book for novices and experts alike, filled with cooking and presentation ideas that are simple yet sophisticated.

Spungen's style is fashionable, salted with reality. She had learned in restaurants and in recipe development that cooking could be labor-intensive. But Spungen wanted to share ways to achieve spectacular food with all the flare of a chef minus the taxing hours. In RECIPES, she seamlessly melds the professional wisdom of the chef with the insight of a magazine editor who must have both an artistic sensibility and an appreciation of the demands on a home cook.

When asking readers to consider what makes a meal special, Spungen highlights each element, from the quality of the ingredients, to the inventive approach, to the distinctive presentation to friends and family. Spungen offers immediate achievements and goals to reach for, and along the way she turns the home cook into the star of their own kitchen.

Susan was the Culinary Consultant and Food Stylist on Julie and Julia, the upcoming feature film. She also recently wrapped her second food movie, the as yet Untitled Nancy Meyers Project, due out at Christmas of 2009.

Spungen is in demand as a contributor to other cookbooks and magazines. She works with a variety of magazines including Gourmet, Food & Wine, More and Oprah. She has also appeared on national morning shows such as Today, Good Morning America, and Fox & Friends. A sought-after guest and contributor, Spungen's emphasis is on cooking as an art form, a communal pleasure, and an immensely satisfying personal achievement. In this she is defining the modern cook.