Mark Bittman facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mark Bittman
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Bittman at the 2017 Texas Book Festival
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| Born | February 17, 1950 |
| Occupation | Journalist, author |
| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater | Clark University |
| Notable awards | Julia Child awards, James Beard awards |
| Partner | Kathleen Finlay |
| Children | 2 |
Mark Bittman (born February 17, 1950) is an American food journalist, author, and a former writer for The New York Times. He is famous for his cookbooks that make cooking simple for everyone.
Bittman is also known for creating a diet plan called VB6, which stands for "Vegan Before 6:00." This is a type of flexitarian diet, where a person eats mostly plant-based foods.
Contents
Career in Food Writing
Mark Bittman has had a long career focused on food. He has written 30 books, including the very popular How to Cook Everything. This book became a bestseller and led to a whole series of similar books, like How to Cook Everything Vegetarian.
For his work, Bittman has won many awards from groups like the International Association of Culinary Professionals, Julia Child, and James Beard Foundation. These awards are like the Oscars for the food world.
Working at The New York Times
For over 13 years, Bittman wrote a column called "The Minimalist" for The New York Times. In this column, he shared simple recipes and cooking ideas. He also wrote for the newspaper's Dining section and The New York Times Magazine. He even hosted a weekly cooking video on the New York Times website based on his column.
Television and Other Projects
You might have seen Mark Bittman on TV. He has been a guest on shows like NBC's The Today Show and a guest judge on the Food Network's cooking competition Chopped.
In 2008, he traveled through Spain with actress Gwyneth Paltrow and chef Mario Batali for a PBS show called Spain... on the Road Again. He also appeared in a documentary series about climate change called Years of Living Dangerously.
In 2015, Bittman left the New York Times to work for a meal-kit company called Purple Carrot. He later started an online food magazine with Medium called Heated.
Famous Cookbooks and Writings
Bittman has written or co-written 16 books and cookbooks. His goal is often to make cooking less scary and more fun for people.
His 2007 book, How to Cook Everything Vegetarian, was a big success. It showed people how to make great-tasting meals without meat.
In 2009, he published Food Matters. This book talked about how our food choices affect the environment and our health. He argued that eating too much meat and processed foods can cause problems. He later released The Food Matters Cookbook with recipes based on these ideas.
His 2021 book, Animal, Vegetable, Junk, explores the history of food. It discusses how modern farming has impacted our health and the planet.
The VB6 Diet Plan
Bittman created a diet plan he calls "VB6," which he wrote about in his book VB6: Eat Vegan Before 6:00. The idea is simple: eat only vegan foods (no meat, dairy, or other animal products) until 6:00 PM. After 6:00 PM, you can eat whatever you like, but he still suggests avoiding processed foods.
This way of eating is called flexitarianism because it's flexible. It allows people to eat more plants without having to become fully vegan.
However, not everyone agreed with this diet. In 2015, the British Dietetic Association called the VB6 diet one of its "Top 5 Worst Celebrity Diets to Avoid."
Personal Life
Mark Bittman grew up in New York City and went to Stuyvesant High School and later Clark University. He has two adult daughters.
Bittman enjoys running marathons and is also a licensed pilot. He currently lives in Cold Spring, New York. His grandparents came to the United States from Ukraine and Romania, and he is Jewish.
