Growing up on an organic farm in Vermont, Mullen learned the value of harvesting the surrounding land to bring flavorful meals to the table. Jobs in local restaurants provided an early glimpse into the industry, and Mullen was immediately hooked. He became enamored with the various traditions and cuisines of Spain while studying at Universidad Autonoma de Extremadura in Caceres, before working in some of the country’s top kitchens (Mugaritz, Abac, Alkimia). He further honed his skills stateside at restaurants such as Mecca in San Francisco, as well as Manhattan’s Tabla and Suba, where his menu led The New York Times toraise the Spanish restaurant’s rating to two stars. In 2009, Mullen introduced his cooking style to a national audience as a finalist on the popular primetime Food Network series, “The Next Iron Chef.” His first cookbook, Hero Food, will be published in January 2012 by Andrews McMeel.