Curtis Stone is a renowned chef, author, TV personality and entrepreneur. His philosophy is to cook as Mother Nature intended -- buy local, seasonal and organic ingredients, keep recipes simple and allow the food to speak for itself. Born in Melbourne, Australia, Curtis left Victoria University in 1994 to follow his passion for food. His strong will and love of quality cuisine led to a job cooking at The Savoy Hotel in Melbourne. Determined to fulfill his dream of working in the world's best restaurants, he walked into Chef Marco Pierre White's London kitchen and offered to work for free for the opportunity to learn from the three-star Michelin genius. Curtis was soon brought on staff and remained at The Grill Room at Café Royal for two years.

From White's Grill Room, Curtis advanced to Sous Chef at the Mirabelle, where he contributed to the restaurant's highly revered Mirabelle Cookbook. He remained at the Mirabelle for two years, during which time it was awarded a prestigious Michelin Star. Curtis was then handed the reins to White's flagship restaurant Quo Vadis, where he received critical acclaim and remained until 2003 when he made the leap to television.

In 2006 Curtis made his debut in the United States via the hit series Take Home Chef. More recently, Curtis is NBC network's resident chef. Curtis can be seen on the popular program The Biggest Loser, teaching contestants how to make nutritional choices and prepare healthy meals. He is also a regular on The Today Show, where Curtis provides viewers with tips and delicious recipes to try at home.

Curtis's fourth book, Relaxed Cooking with Curtis Stone: Recipes to Put You in My Favorite Mood, published by Clarkson Potter, is packed with easy-to-make recipes for every meal of the day, as well as the always important snacks, desserts and cocktails. From caramel popcorn to Indian curry and chocolate mint martinis, the book is packed with mouth-watering ways to satisfy your appetite.