7 Questions with Zuzy Martin Lynch

7 Questions is a series of interviews with the culinary movers and shakers you want or ought to know better.

Cooking for the Clueless is a web site for all of those folks who realized that they hit the big 3-0 without ever learning how to cook.  It was started by the bi-coastal couple of Zuzy Martin Lynch and Rick Lynch.  Rick is a California guy who grew up living the hipster West Coast lifestyle which included eating out a lot.  The same was true for Zuzy who grew up in the glamor of the East Coast where dining out is as common to New Yorkers as breathing.  But somewhere along the way neither learned their way around the kitchen.

According to the web site, “Cooking for the Clueless was born in our living room after realizing that we had a storage full of kitchen gadgets, appliances, and registry must-haves that we didn’t know how to use.”  The site features cooking tips and videos, recipes, a team of chefs and food writers that provide expert advice on everything from special diets to supermarket shopping strategies.

The web site soon produced a DVD also entitled Cooking for the Clueless that has been described as a must-have for anyone looking to tackle the kitchen.  The DVD is available on their site and at amazon.com (HERE).  It has received a lot of accolades including winning a coveted Tasty Award for best DVD in 2010.  High praise indeed.

Recently Zuzy Martin Lynch was kind enough to answer 7 Questions:

1. How old were you when you first started to cook?

Hmmm. This is an embarrassing one, but then again, I am the founder of “Cooking for the Clueless” so the real answer is: late, too late. I learned how to entertain at a very early age. I learned how to eat out very young too. Learning how to cook came late, in my thirties!

2. What was the inspiration for “Cooking for the Clueless?”

My husband and I grew tired of eating out every night because we didn’t know how to cook. One day after realizing that eating out everyday was exhausting and expensive, we decided to get help and help others in our boat (about half of America)!

3. Who would you say has influenced you the most?

My grandmothers, have by far, been the biggest influence on who I am. This includes good and bad habits. LOL. So, I have good old-fashioned values and I’m super nurturing, but I never knew how to cook because they spoiled me instead of teaching me how to cook. Ok, so now that I’m an adult, I won’t blame poor grandmas (God bless them), but they did take part in making me “clueless.”

4. If you hadn’t followed this career path, what other career could you see yourself in?

Journalism. Most definitely. I love asking questions and understanding the world through the stories and experiences of others.

5. What’s the highlight of your career so far?

The highlight of my Cooking for the Clueless career has been appearing on some fun morning shows, winning a Tasty Award and meeting my favorite TV chefs in person including Fabio Viviani of Top Chef!

6. What has winning a Tasty Award meant to you?

I love my Tasty Award! It has been great being recognized for admitting that I was clueless in the kitchen and trying to help the millions of America who are most definitely in the same boat. I also love how the Tastys bring all the foodie peeps together in one place – they are so much fun!

7. What’s next for Zuzy Martin Lynch?

This spring (TODAY), we’re launching Fridays with Fabio where I interview chef Fabio Viviani of Top Chef during a weekly series – asking him anything we want to know. My dream is to bring Cooking for the Clueless to more people  – exposing them not only to the kitchen, but to cultures, customs and foods from around the world.

Fridays with Fabio: