Dave DeWitt is an expert on the Southwest, as well as on its food. He has written more than 35 books, most of them on chile peppers and fiery foods, and he also penned a travel guide called New Mexico: A Travel Guide to the State and  a novel.

Dave’s cookbooks include Cuisines of the Southwest and Da Vinci’s Kitchen: A Secret History of Italian Cuisine, as well as his best selling The Whole Chile Pepper Book, The Chile Pepper Encyclopedia, The Pepper Garden, and The Spicy Food Lover's Bible.

Currently, he is producer for the National Fiery Foods & Barbecue Show, now in its 21st year; producer for the Scovie Awards Competition, a contest for hot & spicy and BBQ products; and publisher and editor of the Fiery Foods & BBQ SuperSite at fiery-foods.com

Dave co-produced and hosted a three-part video documentary on chile peppers and spicy foods called Heat Up Your Life for New Mexico State University (NMSU).

He is president and CEO of  Sunbelt Shows, Inc.; was founding board member of The Chile Pepper Institute at NMSU; is the chair of the Governing Board of Regents, New Mexico Farm and Ranch Heritage Museum, Las Cruces; and associate professor, adjunct faculty, College of Agriculture and Home Economics, NMSU.

Not surprisingly, Dave lives in New Mexico, where the food tends to be hot and fiery.