Laureen Pittman

I'm Laureen Pittman, a native Southern California girl who loves to cook. I cook for my family--a handsome pescetarian husband and two meat and potato loving boys. I also cook for my friends. I'll even cook for total strangers. I'm not a trained chef; I'm a self-taught home cook and award-winning competitive cook. When I'm not cooking for family or friends, you'll find me experimenting in the kitchen, trying to find just the right flavors and ingredients for the next big competition.

For over 10 years now, I've been traveling the country participating in national and local recipe and cooking competitions, including the Food Network’s Ultimate Recipe Showdown, Ocean Spray’s Ultimate Cranberry Recipe Competition and Cookoff, Aetna’s Healthy Food Fight, The Great Gilroy Garlic Cook-off and the Pillsbury Bake-Off (twice!). Many of my recipes have been published in national magazines, cookbooks and online. Since I started competitive cooking, I've won nearly $50,000 in cash, travel and prizes. Not a bad hobby, eh?