And now, for the most important part: a massive thank-you to all who helped make this book a glorious destination and an even more fun, fulfilling adventure along the way.
You may not even know you were an inspiration for this book, but if I’ve chatted your ear off about the glories of a particular dish; the fun of redesigning a space; the importance of making happy, healthy living easy and enjoyable; the bliss of loving relationships; mistakes I’ve made and the things I’ve learned to do better next time, then I thank you for lending your ear and your wisdom. That includes all of you, wonderful viewers of The Chew and readers of The Dorm Room Diet!
And for those who are truly saints among men—and women, of course—my heartfelt thanks go out to you:
John, for gamely taste testing every recipe time and time again; for lending your excitement, curiosity, and brilliance to everything we do together; and especially for showing me what it feels like to be the happiest little lady in the whole wide world. I love you.
Mommy and Grandmommy, for showing me that the kitchen could be my playground; that everything can be fixed—from broken batters to broken hearts; and for being the sources of all my good ideas and the touchstones in all my journeys.
Daddy (the man who taught me all things worth doing in life are worth doing well), Grandaddy (the king of Staten Island spaghetti sauce and stuffed artichokes), Baba Anne and Büyük Baba (who made their Istanbul home a neverending source of culinary inspiration), and my loving, supportive family of aunts, uncles, and cousins (for showing me exactly why a relished existence is worth living).
Sandra Bark, you were the voice in my head personified. Thank you for providing structure to my lifetime of musings and memories and for making the process of putting myself to page feel freeing and fun. I’ve loved every minute of it!
Ellen Silverman, you could not have made me a happier, prouder, hungrier girl each time you worked the magic of your lens. I am grateful for both your breathtaking images that bring this book alive and your friendship. Paige Hicks and Philippa Brathwaite, you brilliantly distilled all my wish lists into a singularly beautiful aesthetic that feels just like home. Susan Sugarman and Anna Helm Baxter, thank you for lending your loving hands to making every dish jump off the page with deliciousness. Samantha Napolitano, your digital genius was invaluable. Scott McFarlane, thank you for helping make my home picture perfect. Many thanks also to your teams: Penelope Gil, Maya Rossi, Eddie Barerra, Matt Clery, Rhoda Boone, Amy Lincoln, Brooke Deonarine, Yvette Dizon Hunter, and Tina DeGraff, and to ABC Carpet and Home, Canvas, Aero, Ochre, and Royal Copenhagen for making my heart flutter with so many gorgeous homewares.
Bucketloads of thanks must be showered upon: Cassie Jones, my brilliant editor and fearless guide through this project of a lifetime; Mary Schuck, Lorie Pagnozzi, and Kris Tobiassen, for enduring all my neurotic tweaks and developing a cover and book interior to make me swoon; Liate Stehlik, publisher extraordinaire, for seeing the potential of this project, giving me the opportunity to realize it, and jumping in headfirst with me; and the entire William Morrow team, without whom this book would still be just a pipe dream on my computer and not the even better reality in your hands: thank you, Kara Zauberman, Lynn Grady, Tavia Kowalchuk, Shelby Meizlik, Megan Swartz, Joyce Wong, and Nyamekye Waliyaya.
Massive thanks to my lovely literary agent, Erin Malone at William Morris Endeavor, for being as excited to read this book as I was to write it! And special thanks to Esther Margolis, the very first person to give forum to the things I thought were important to write about, and a mentor in all my literary pursuits.
To my spectacular cohosts—Carla, Clinton, Michael, and Mario—and my entire Chew family: thank you for making every day at “work” feel like playtime.
To my friends: Thank you for sharing a million meals, a million fits of laughter, a million adventures, a million fails, and a million success messages, all multiplied into infinite reasons to go on feeling like a million bucks every time we’re together.
And finally, oodles of hugs and kisses for my siblings and partners in crime—Arabella, Zoe, and Oliver. You make every day worth relishing. Love you, Ozlings!