James McNair

James McNair has served as the head judge of Build a Better Burger since it began in 1990, heading both the regional selection process and the cook-off judging; he is now the chairman of the national contest. He is the author of more than forty cookbooks, including Burgers, Beef, Chicken, Corn, Grill, Pizza, and The Sutter Home Napa Valley Cookbook, and has received an Award of Excellence from the International Association of Culinary Professionals. McNair also teaches cooking classes and gives culinary lectures around the country, and has appeared on many national and local television shows. He lives in Napa Valley.