In 1988, I embarked on a search of new horizons, open spaces and new flavours, and landed in New York. That is a journey I have never regretted -- a North American love story where I have cooked alongside cooks from every walk of life, in cities as vibrant as my curiosity. I discovered that food in North America was tasty, exciting, culturally rich, and that desserts were delicious... I learned how entrenched baking was here, how centuries of immigrants from Holland, Germany, Italy and other distant places made this a land where I would learn and discover. Many years later, I still get excited, learning new techniques and recipes. My kitchen is the heartbeat of my house. Let the sweet smells of baking create long-lasting memories!