Sam Gugino

After graduating from The Restaurant School in Philadelphia, Sam operated two critically successful restaurants. He became restaurant critic for the Philadelphia Daily News in 1986 and in 1988 he moved to California to become food editor at the San Jose Mercury News where his 1993 columns were named best in the nation by the Association of Food Journalists.

Upon moving to New York City in 1994 he wrote a weekly wine column for the Star Ledger of Newark, NJ (which was a runner-up in the AFJ Best Column category in 1999) and co-authored two books, Eat Fresh, Stay Health and Matthew Kenney's Mediterranean Cooking. His first solo book, Cooking to Beat the Clock, was named one of the top ten cookbooks of 1999 by Amazon.com. Low-Fat Cooking to Beat the Clock, was nominated by the International Association of Culinary Professionals for best book in the Health and Special Diet category in 2001.

Sam has written frequently for The New York Times and was nominated for a James Beard Journalism award in 1997 for a Times story. He has written for numerous magazines including Cooks Illustrated, Cigar Aficionado, and Women's Day. He is Contributing Editor of Wine Spectator magazine where his "In the Kitchen with Sam Gugino" (formerly "Tastes") food column has appeared since 1996. He also writes a wine column for Specialty Food Magazine and publishes SamCooks, an online newsletter available through www.samcooks.com

Sam is a member of the International Association of Culinary Professionals, the Association of Food Journalists, and the National Writers Union. He lives in Philadelphia with his wife of 31 years, Mary Lee Keane.

Q & A for Sam

Q: What's your favorite cheese?
A: Parmigiano-Reggiano.

Q: What's your favorite cheese-pairing?
A: Goat cheese with a fresh, well chilled Moscato d'Asti.

Q: What's your favorite wine type?
A: Syrah.

Q: What's your favorite non-wine beverage?
A: San Pellegrino.

Q: What's your favorite wine-food pairing?
A: Pinot Noir and roast chicken.

Q: How did you get involved in this business?
A: Left my insurance job and enrolled in The Restaurant School in Philadelphia in 1975.

Q: Any unusual ways that you like to enjoy wine or cheese?
A: Chunks of Parmigiano drizzled with balsamic vinegar as a snack.