b'The Ghostin Your CookbookWriter Rick Rodgers perfects recipes to work in your kitchenBY ROSE BENNETT GILBERTHot from his oven, Rick Rodgers takes the traditional French favorite, goyre, to an haute new level. It may be labor intensive but is always an elegant pice de rsis-tance on any luncheon table. D ontlooknow,abutcas Doctor Mehmet Oz dines with his there may be a ghost inwife, cookbook author Lisa Oz.your kitchen. Many blue-chip corporations also en-Theres no cause forlist Rodgers expertise. Rodgers tells you alarm. Hes a charminghow to whip up a creamy crab bisque ghostghostwriter,in Flavors of the Southern Coast he cre-thatis.Hehasgreatated for lifestyle brand Tommy Bahama. taste,consummatecookingskillsandro- Williams-SonomahaschosenRodgers bust sense of humor. Meet Rick Rodgers, theto write more than 10 titles in its series award-winning creator or co-creator of morethe years. Grateful fans have bought 75,000 copiesof cookbooks.than 100 cookbooks that offer an endless menu ofof his how-to cookbook, Thanksgiving 101. Hes created corporate cookbooks for The Fresh different cuisines from around the world. Then there is the other Rick Rodgers, the cook- Market, Nordstrom and Patsys, the famed Italian More than 30 of those best-selling cookbooks arebook collaborator, the expert ghost writer who helpseatery in New Yorks theater district. He has been self-authored, drawing on Rodgers many years as amedia celebrities realize a desire to publish a pol- brand ambassador for a long list of clients such as cook, caterer and writer for such major foodie publi- ished cookbook filled with their family favorites andGrandMarnier,Absolut,Yellow TailWines,We-cations as Bon Apptit and Food and Wine. He honedother beloved recipes. As the pro who ensures thoseber,Kingsford, his recipe-writing and testing skills working in therecipes will work in anyone elses kitchen, RodgersDriscolls,Four test kitchens of such magazines, working his way uphas held the hand that held the spoon for luminar- RosesBourbon, the ladder.ies such as singer Patti LaBelle and reality star Lisaandamazon.com/Hes a media star and a teacher, talking about foodVanderpump as they stirred, baked, and fried theirkitchen.Rodgers on shows such as Today, Good Morning America, CBSway to producing cookbooks. His books for Newadviceandrecipes Good Morning, and the Food Network Challenge. HeJersey Housewife Teresa Giudice were New Yorkcanalsobefound hasswappedrecipeswithChoppedsChrisSantosTimes Best Sellers.onlineatEpicuri-and taught hundreds of harried home cooks how toThankstoRodgers,everyonecanenjoytradi- ous.comandTaste-turn out the perfect holiday turkey. As brand ambas- tional meatballs per Frankie Avalons Italian Familybook.com. Rodgers has cooked up around sador for Perdue Farms, he has traveled the country,Cookbook and coconut-crusted chicken (healthy, ofImageneral- 300 Thanksgiving dinners over the years and sold more than 75,000 cooking up around 300 Thanksgiving dinners overcourse) from The Oz Family Kitchen where Ameri- ist, he says. I cookcopies of Thanksgiving 101.34/ matters magazine / spring 2024'