Robert L. Blakeslee

Robert L. Blakeslee (born in 1959) started cooking at the age of 7. His first book "Your Time to Cook" won the prestigious Benjamin Franklin National Award for "Cookbook of the Year" presented in New York at the International Book Expo, from the IBPA (Independent Book Publishers Association), and his second book "Your Time to Bake" won the silver medal two years later.

On top of being a gourmet chef, Blakeslee pursued a career in the arts - working as a graphic designer and art director for Fortune 500 corporations, and international advertising agencies. There he developed his abilities in food photography, illustration, and copywriting. It was with this combination of skills he was able to create his two cookbooks, each of which contain over 1800 photographs and illustrations. These books leave nothing to the imagination and are designed for anyone who wants to see how to cook rather than try to read complicated instructions.

Although the recipes in the cookbooks are common fare (since they are designed for beginners), Blakeslee has a popular You Tube Channel www.youtube.com/yourtimetocook with a full gambit of recipes, from simple quick stovetop recipes to complex multi-layer pastries like croissants and Danish.