Once I discovered the possibilities of cooking for myself, there was no stopping me. I began experimenting with Asian dishes in a wok, preparing pasta, trying different ingredients, and realizing that I could make practically anything I was hungry for. Then one evening, a particularly wonderful idea entered my head. Since I was living away from home and Mom wasn't standing over my shoulder telling me to eat my vegetables, WHY NOT HAVE CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES FOR DINNER? I jumped into the car, bought the ingredients, returned to my apartment, baked a fresh batch, and settled down on the couch with a bowl of warm chocolate chip cookies. Dinner was served, and I couldn't have been happier!

Naturally, I called Mom afterward and proudly announced that I'd ruined my appetite for dinner because I'd already eaten chocolate chip cookies instead. You can imagine her reaction! But that delicious little adventure back in 1988 helped launch what eventually became decades of cookie-baking experimentation. I started making cookies for my girlfriend, track teammates, friends, teachers, and just about anybody who seemed interested in enjoying something fresh out of the oven. Later, when I entered the business world, I brought cookies to workplace gatherings and potluck events. Before long, I noticed people reaching for my cookies before reaching for the other food on the table. NOW THAT'S WHAT I CALL A COMPLIMENT TO THE CHEF!

Having competed in football and track, I've always had what you might call a rather HEALTHY APPETITE! When I was younger, my mother was an absolute magician in the kitchen, and whenever she announced dinner was ready, I probably broke a few speed records running toward the dining room. She knew how to transform ordinary ingredients into wonderful meals, and those memories have stayed with me throughout my life. Watching her cook helped me appreciate the joy of preparing something that makes other people happy, and I'm grateful for the foundation she gave me. Thanks, Mom! If people love my cooking today, you deserve a great deal of the credit.

Over the years, I've developed my own collection of favorite dishes, including homemade pizza, delicious salads, omelettes, Pad Thai noodles, fried rice, seafood, tortellini, sautéed sweet potatoes, sandwiches, and what my friends affectionately call my world-famous party smoothies. And, of course, we can't forget THE COOKIES! Some meals are light and practical for busy workdays, while others are the kinds of dishes I enjoy preparing when friends visit or I feel like treating myself to something spectacular. The common denominator is simple: IF I'M GOING TO SPEND TIME MAKING SOMETHING, I WANT IT TO TASTE SO GOOD THAT I'LL LOOK FORWARD TO MAKING IT AGAIN!

Today, my creative adventures have expanded into dozens of published books, hundreds of videos, business projects, and an ambitious vision for bringing my chocolate chip cookies to more people. My cookie-baking experiences have even inspired a separate, full-color book devoted to the story, techniques, photographs, testimonials, and business possibilities surrounding Bart's Cookies. What started with a college student baking cookies for dinner has become a lifelong passion that connects my love of food with my interests in writing, publishing, marketing, entertaining, and entrepreneurship.

And here's where everything comes together. I LOVE MAKING THINGS, SHARING THINGS, TEACHING THINGS, AND ABOVE ALL, EATING THINGS THAT TASTE FANTASTIC! When I discover something worth sharing, whether it's a business lesson, a publishing technique, a helpful checklist, or a wonderful dinner recipe, I enjoy finding ways to put that knowledge into somebody else's hands. That's one of the greatest rewards of being an author and creator. You develop something you're proud of, share it with the world, and discover that someone else's life is a little better because of it.