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About the Authors:
Kent Whitaker has taken his down-home, Southern-style cooking to an art-form. “I like to do a bit more than burgers and dogs on the grill.” He is the author of three cookbooks, Tennessee Hometown Cookbook (Great American Publishers, 2007), Smoke in the Mountains (Quail Ridge Press, 2004) and Checkered Flag Cooking (Quail Ridge Press, 2005), and has written and illustrated two children’s books, Why are the Mountains Smoky? (Overmountain Press, 2004) and Big Mo’s Tennis Ball Hunt (Great American Publishers, 2006).
Kent has appeared on the Food Network and other network television stations. He frequently hosts cooking classes at the Chattanooga Market and throughout the South. He writes a cooking column for the Catoosa County News and the Chattanoogan, and writes monthly articles for both The National Barbecue News and Racing Milestones Magazine. A dog-lover and advocate for local animal shelters and rescue organizations, Kent and his grilling buddy, Moses, are spokesperson and spokesdog for ALPO. Kent and Moses travel the country presenting grilling and cooking demos promoting the idea of including your canine family members in on the backyard grilling fun. Kent gives human grilling and cooking tips while Moses enjoys APLO Chophouse Ribeye-Flavored dog food.
Kent and his wife Ally live in East Tennessee with one son, Macee, a Golden Retriever named Moses and a Shitzu named Barney.
Sheila Simmons is passionate about cooking and cookbooks. In her travels, when people come to stay at her “rambling house in the country,” when entertaining, or even when watching one of her two boys play ball, the subject will always, eventually, turn to recipes.
Sheila’s interest in regional recipes was originally born during her 18 years with Quail Ridge Press in Brandon, Mississippi. In 2006, she left QRP to focus her love of publishing on Great American Publishers and Great American Cookbooks where she is Publisher and co-owner along with husband Roger Simmons.
Sheila has also found an outlet for her regional recipe passion in the State Hometown Cookbook Series. She and co-author Kent Whitaker collect favorite recipes from every state in the country for the series. A “job” that is perfect for someone who loves to talk about and share great recipes and equally enjoys trying new recipes in her kitchen.
Sheila is a member of the International Association of Culinary Professionals. She lives in Lena, Mississippi with her husband Roger and two sons, Ryan and Nicholas. In addition to publishing, cooking, and collecting recipes Sheila enjoys family, reading, and books.
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