About Max

Eight-year-old Max Nania has always been the creative type. His mother, Sienna Nania, says her son began inventing snacks even before he was three. She's always encouraged her budding chef - so long as he always helps clean up afterwards.

Max is a typical second grader with a passion for sports (he enjoys playing soccer and is an avid fan of the Atlanta Braves baseball team). A talented video gamer, Max balances that out with a love for reading comic books and chapter books. His interest in reading began when he was in preschool when Max and his mom would read together and, for fun, would occasionally make up recipes to go along with the stories.

When Max was a first grader, he needed to practice his handwriting, so he started writing down the recipes he'd concocted. This is how Cooking with Max first came about.

Do you have a favorite recipe or questions for Max? You can email him at chefmax@cookingwithmax.com .


About Max's Mom

Sienna Nania is a self-described Wonder Mom. "Being a mom is absolutely awesome, but many times, I just plain wonder what's going to happen next and how long will it take to clean it up," she explains with a laugh. "Parenthood both amazes and crazes," she adds.

Before Sienna became the mother of Max (8) and his brother Ian (4), she worked in the arts as a children's playwright and as an agent for a number of Celtic Rock bands. She married bass player, John Nania and today enjoys being a stay-at-home mom. Sienna also teaches yoga and fills her spare time with volunteer work at Max's school and in their community.

The kitchen is Sienna's favorite room in their house, because the kitchen is where the Nania family talks, laughs, cook and eat their meals together. "I couldn't believe it when other moms tell me they don't want their toddlers in the kitchen when they are making dinner," explains Sienna. "They ask me how I do it-to which I smile and say "I promise - someday I will put together a book." Cooking with Max is the first book aimed at fulfilling that promise.