Interview with Norman Van Aken, James Beard award winning chef and author known as the “founding father of New World Cuisine.” He grew up in Illinois, where his paternal grandfather cooked, mostly for Thanksgiving and special Sunday dinners. Van Aken taught himself cooking skills, gaining the culinary knowledge to become a chef, and he was inspired by the cookbooks that he started collecting. He is the author of six cookbooks and is the chef-owner of Norman’s in Orlando.