Tammie Ward was born in Durham and works with her father, Frank Ward, who started Frank Ward Realtors in 1964 on her fifth birthday. They have worked together for 27 years.

Q: What's the first dish you remember cooking?

A: I can't really recall, but if I had to guess, some kind of pasta.

Q: How did you learn how to cook?

A: I'm the youngest of three daughters. My mother had major surgery when I was 14, so I did a lot of the cooking then. I remember lots of friends brought us food. One person brought us a frozen lasagna. I baked it one night and it turned out to be spam lasagna! After my mother recovered from her surgery, my father told me I could have a gift for helping so much at home. I was really into albums (still am) and I remember buying Elton John's "Yellow Brick Road." I still have it.

Q: What's your favorite food?

A: Any kind of beans: black, kidney, pinto, navy, chick peas and lentils. I love lentils. However, do not serve me butter beans, I loathe them.

Q: Any kitchen disasters?

A: I wanted to make pecan pie for Thanksgiving because my boyfriend likes it so much. He told me it was next to impossible to get the texture right. I was determined to get it right. I ended up with pecan soup. My boyfriend ate it anyway, or rather he drank it.

Q: What's the strangest thing you've ever made?

A: Last summer, I was having friends over for dinner. I wanted to fix something really different. I found a recipe for uncooked lasagna using fresh zucchini, tomatoes, etc. It was a real pain to make and everyone ate it, although I think they were being kind. I threw away the recipe.

Q: What food did you not like growing up?

A: Salmon patties, yuck! When I was a child I would eat them, telling myself I'd never eat them as an adult. Once my mother invited me for dinner one night. Upon hearing she was serving salmon patties, I declined. I finally ate fresh salmon in 1995 when I was visiting Seattle, Washington. Now I love fresh salmon, but salmon patties -- no way!

Q: What's your funniest kitchen story?

A: I remember when Hurricane Fran came through. We lost power for about five days. After I cleaned out the fridge and freezer, I was about to pour out some melted chocolate ice cream. My boyfriend stopped me and drank it, almost half a gallon.