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The US chef Heather Johnston will carry out her cooking program at FENAVIN 2009

Furthermore, the food professional, also a wine expert, will offer a round table on "New forms of excellence for reaching consumers."

The US chef and wine professional Heather Johnston, the driving force behind http://sogood.tv/, will participate at the National Wine Fair, FENAVIN 2009, in May with a number of activities. On May 5th she will give the conference "New forms of excellence for reaching consumers," in which she will talk about her blog, which started in 2006. She will also prepare an appetizing dish and select some wine from the Wine Gallery to taste as part of her TV program.

Johnston says she is "very happy to be cooking at FENAVIN," where she plans to prepare "a special salad with ingredients that can be found at the local market." Furthermore, she intends to prepare some tapas, which she loves. "In New York there are a number of tapas bars, although none are as good as those I have seen in Spain. I would like to create something for people to enjoy, and also to become part of this beautiful tradition," she states.

Furthermore, she will carry out a tasting of Spanish wines, ones that "I am familiar with." However, she says that "I appreciate the surprises I find in Spain. When I sell or give classes on wine, I often say that Spain is like the New World of the Old World winemaking countries," says Johnston.

According to the American specialist, Spain has an "incredible" historical tradition, although "it is not afraid to try new things." The chef believes that the US market responds very well to this, at least in her experience. In general, when you talk to Americans about Spanish wine, they think about reds like Rioja or Priorat. However, Johnston likes Jerez Sherries and Cava, as well as the Rueda whites. "Sherry is a wine that Americans don't appreciate, but when I put it in a tasting, accompanied with a handful of nuts, people love it," she says.

Videos on YouTube

Heather Johnston began her blog, http://sogood.tv/, when she was writing a newsletter with recipes for a wine shop with the aim of having them published. A year later she decided, together with her husband, to participate in a very successful US television show The Next TV Food Network Star, in order to give a three-minute cooking demonstration.

"Like with the old movie directors, my husband and I did the demonstration really easily and we enjoyed it a lot. So we started to put our videos up on YouTube. I think I like the Internet more than I would have liked television," she tells with pride.

Thanks to YouTube, Johnston's public is very varied. She has received responses from people from all over the world, as well as a group of fans and subscribers who really enjoy food and wine.

Within a short time, YouTube were publishing her videos on its homepage and she started to receive visits from people who were not necessarily looking for recipes or wine recommendations. "Since I don't sell anything, I cannot value the response in dollars, but I can say that the comments and opinion I receive are very positive," she explains.

Those who access Heather's videos usually want to know how to cook and feel at ease both in the kitchen and the wine cellar. According to the chef, "until recently, many people had takeaways or went out for dinner. Now, because of the economic crisis, an increasing number of people want recipe ideas and wine suggestions. They don't go to pubs or bars, but rather they buy wine and enjoy it at home. They want simple recipes, sometimes "comfort" food (basic homemade dishes) and information about wine so that their selection process is easier."

According to this American professional: "food and wine are much more than something to eat and drink. It is about culture, love, self-expression and something wonderful to share, even if it is only virtually."

She also thinks that "people from all over the world are in love with, and feel curious about, the world of food and wine. They are eager to share their own opinions and experiences. The Internet is a fantastic medium for food and wine, particularly Internet videos. Anyway, the Net is full of detailed information and short, entertaining videos that are very well received."

"People used to talk about food and wine in books, on TV and in personal conversations. Now, with the Internet, if you have a doubt about wine, you search Google and you can find the answer in one of my videos."

"Besides, you can also ask the head chef directly. Maybe you don't receive an answer straight away, but you usually get a reply. Finally, with YouTube on many mobile devices, people can literally see me on their iPhones while they are cooking or doing the shopping," she concludes.