Katy Sparks Katy Sparks is an award-winning chef and owner of Katy Sparks Culinary Consulting. She has over 25 years of experience in the food industry. Her recipes have appeared in Food & Wine Magazine, Real Simple, and other publications. Highlights: * Over 25 years of experience in the food industry * Owner and culinary director at Katy Sparks Culinary Consulting * Former executive chef at Quilty's * Former culinary director at Balducci's * Former vice president of culinary research and development at Great Performances * Former consultant at Community Table, Radish, Melt Shop, Union Market, Murray's Cheese, Tavern on the Green, and Dixon Roadside * Former recipe content developer at RealEats Meals * Knife Skills Training Mentor at Hot Bread Kitchen * Food and Wine Best New Chef, 1998 * Wine Spectator Rising Star Chef, 1998 * Guest speaker at Cornell University in 2007 * Honored as Johnson & Wales University Successful Alumni & inducted into Hall of Fame, 2011 About Real Simple Real Simple, a Dotdash Meredith Brand, is an award-winning, trusted online resource for smart, authentic solutions to simplify your life. We reach 11 million readers a month. Our content is written by experienced journalists and fact-checked for accuracy. Learn more about us and our editorial guidelines.