A branch-shaded brick alleyway slopes downward, as the midday sun illuminates the large blackboard bearing the names of spices familiar and unusual. Follow the cheery yellow and orange placards with the arrows down to a calming courtyard with a fountain, then take a deep breath and prepare to enter a world of flavor and aroma. more ›

Change is never easy for most of us, even if we're looking for something a little different in our lives. But Jeffrey Saad makes change--big or small--look easy. In fact, he makes change seem like something we all can do, just a little, to spice up our lives. Of course, for Saad, the big changes came when he gave up his career to give being The Next Food Network Star a shot in the show's highly successful 5th season. As a result, the self-proclaimed "Spice Smuggler" is now able to make home cooks all over feel like they can take on something new in the kitchen, by adding a little spice to their food. Recently we sat down with Saad to talk about the show, his upcoming endeavors, eating in Los Angeles, and spices. more ›