With her sweet face and cool, calm demeanor, it’s no wonder Melia Marden is a natural hostess, but what really brings the point home are her skills in the kitchen. Ms. Marden is the chef behind one of New York’s most down-to-earth, yet happening hotspots, The Smile, and has tongues across the city wagging over her earthy, seasonal, Mediterranean-inspired menu. With her talent in the kitchen and love for home-entertaining, we were thrilled earlier this year when Melia released her first cookbook, Modern Mediterranean: Easy, Colorful, Full-Flavored Home Cooking. Modern Mediterranean is a spot-on resource for home cooks who want to throw beautiful dinners that feel both accessible and impressive and is filled to the brim with casual, entertaining-ready recipes like the one below for chicken with preserved lemons inspired by her mother’s own home-cooking at their house in Greece. Try your hand at Melia’s home-style recipe and check out a few of the things on her mind for 2014…