Forget what they say about not playing with food -- or knives. Certified Executive Chef Ray Duey does both, and the results are unexpected. A turnip turns into a daisy, an eggplant into a leaf, a cantaloupe into a star  and a tomato into a rose. This Far Eastern culinary art is spreading from cruise ships to hotels, country clubs, restaurants and homes. "Why should you pay for a florist when your food can speak for itself?" Despite never having artistic inclinations as a child, Duey has risen to become one of the premier culinary artists in the US. He has been featured on the Food Network, invited to create a piece for the White House & is a certified chef through the American Culinary Federation. In 2004, he opened Chef Ray Presents, where he teaches the specialized art form to a wide variety of professionals across the United States. Duey has received numerous awards in national and international competitions. In addition, he is also corporate executive chef at Buffet Euro, San Francisco, CA. ﻿﻿Ray Duey is a self described "Culinary Arsonist" in that he lights a fire to your culinary passions by making things extraordinary out of the ordinary with his Thai influenced carving. The consumate performer, Chef Ray Duey gets into the intricate details of the ultimate creations:  Fun with Carrots, Rutabaga Ginger Flowers, Tuscan Cantaloupe, Cucumber Lobster, Turnip Flowers, Layered Turnip, Reversed Watermelon, Watermelon Outside In, Papaya Vase, Watermelon Wonder, Canary Melon Geometric Patterns, Mozart Grand Finale, Chef Ray's Cut & Paste... The Ultimate Centerpiece!    REVIEW: THE MIDWEST BOOK REVIEW - ... is a hands-on, how-to guide to adding an exceptional level of visual beauty to one's culinary creations. ... All three DVDs are simply beautiful to watch, and highly recommended for the enjoyment of gourmets and connoisseurs as well as amateur and professional food stylists.