Since then he won a Food Network Medal on Food Network Challenge "Great Pie Cook-Off, baked a "Coke Cola Pie" on the CBS Morning Show and has appeared for the past 5 years as a regular on KSTP's Channel 5 Twin Cities Live. JML literally wrote the book on entertaining family and friends (Garden County-Where Everyone is Welcome to Sit at the Table) and has baked the best pies in the nation with over 7 National Pie Championship wins and a cookbook of over 100 delicious sweet and savory pies (Garden County Pie).

As a regular on KSTP Channel 5 Twin Cities Live, JML has cooked up everything from "Blue Cheese Stuffed Hamburgers", "Cotton Candy Filled Cupcakes", to several of his delicious pies.  He has also been a frequent guest on KARE 11's Saturday Morning News Show, WCCO Sunday Morning Live Show, FOX Morning Show and on radio can be heard on AlohaJoe.com Radio and MyTalk107's Weekly Dish.  Appearing in five Food Network Specials and Challenges, JML also co-stars in the 6-part PBS series "Garden Paths" with nationally known horticulturist Melinda Myers. 

JML is a contributing chef at All Inc. in St. Paul, Nordic Ware in St. Louis Park, Local D'Lish in Minneapolis, and Zzest Market & Cafe in Rochester, MN. His company "Garden County Cooking" offers private events (In-Home cooking classes. Team Building/Corporate Events or Personal cooking classes), merchandise, and public speaking events.

Of his many passions--besides food--writing is at the top. JML has authored two cookbooks: Garden County Cooking and Garden County Pie with his upcoming third cookbook devoted to Italian cuisine. He writes for Lavender Magazine, Garden County Cooking Blog, and teaches food writing at The Loft Literary Center. JML is also a member of Slow Food USA and the American Pie Council.

JML received a degree in English from the University of North Dakota and has several short stories, poems, and plays published in regional and academic texts. He is a recipient of the Gladys Boen Award for Fiction. His first cookbook Garden County was nominated for "Cookbook of the Year" by the Independent Book Publisher's Association in Washington, DC in 2006.

Now you can join JML in the kitchen for the culinary learning experience of a lifetime and one of the most entertaining afternoons or evenings you will encounter in a cooking class. Consider registering or having JML come into your home to enhance your cooking skills with "...a wide variety of classes taught by...Food Network star/St. Paul favorite son John Michael Lerma." Twin Cities Metro Magazine December 2009