Issue No. 1 Expert - Stephen from Top Chef

We were so thrilled when Stephen Asprinio agreed to be our first guest expert. Known for being an expert in pairing ingredients with fine wine, Stephen almost made it into the final round of Bravo's first season of Top Chef. We knew that he would be the perfect person to advise our readers on a range of peppery wines in our first issue of MerriMail. How exciting when he said yes!

Plus with his entrepreneurial spirit, Stephen seemed like a perfect person to feature. Food has been his passion from a very early age. After training in many of the leading restaurants in the country, it is exciting to see that Stephen is launching his own venture - FoodReal. Be sure to visit his web site to learn more about his new restaurant, which is opening in 2007. And for all of you Top Chef fans, Stephen also features his insight from each episode. Enjoy!