Mark Bittman, whose “Minimalist” column ran in the Dining section of the New York Times for more than 13 years, is an Opinion columnist as well as the lead food writer for The Magazine.Bittman has been urging Americans to change the way we eat for 30 years. In 2009 he published the groundbreaking Food Matters, which explored the crucial connections among food, health, and the environment, and provided tangible guidance for Americans rethinking their diets. In 2010 he wrote The Food Matters Cookbook. His How to Cook Everything is widely considered the new bible of American cooking. It demonstrates his unique combination of common sense and non-fussy, unprecious authority. In 2007, Mr. Bittman published How to Cook Everything Vegetarian, now the best-selling book on contemporary vegetarian cooking. He speaks about food and its role in American culture and health. Bittman translates the critical issues of our day into an argument for better, saner, enjoyable eating.