Martha Poised to Assume Power -- Behind the Apron

by Allen Salkin, Posted Aug 3rd 2010 @ 11:00AM

Martha Stewart has been out of jail and thriving since 2005, following her insider trading criminal case. But as part of a 2006 settlement of the related civil case brought against her by the U.S. Securities and Exchange commission, she agreed to a five year bar from serving as a director of a public company, and a prohibition from participating in financial reporting, financial disclosure, and other activities.

Slashfood caught up with Martha backstage at the James Beard Foundation's "Chefs and Champagne" event in Sagaponack, New York, and she talked to us about food matters – how impressed she was with the array of chefs at the event, her new TV cooking show "Martha Bakes," and her dogs' blog – and she did answer a question about whether she will assume a directorship at Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia once the five year ban expires next year.

According to Yahoo! Finance, she controls about 50% of MSLO's stock and about 90% of voting stock. Before being convicted of four counts of obstructing justice and lying to investigators about a stock sale, Martha was CEO and Chairwoman of MSLO. A return to those roles would write a triumphant end to a dark chapter of her life.

Martha also expanded on her Pâte Brisée and about how she has seen her tart recipes copied in other peoples' cookbooks over the years.

"Behind The Apron," is a video series featuring news-breaking conversations between the journalist Allen Salkin and the biggest names in the culinary world. The series goes beyond the plate and into the lives of those in the food world who have become mainstream cultural icons. In a turnaround from his TV role as head judge on Top Chef, Tom Colicchio talks about his struggle to rise to the expectations of judges at the James Beard Foundation; Jose Andres gets political; and Jacques Pepin laughs about the social ascendance of chefs over the past two decades from blue collar workers into "geniuses." Much more is to come in this groundbreaking series.

Related: Martha Stewart Plotting U.K. & Middle East Invasions

Filed Under: Behind the Apron
Tags: chefs and champagne, martha bakes, martha stewart, mslo