Coordinating chef demonstrations at The International Culinary Center has introduced me to a number of chef’s and food professionals who’ve kept me on my toes and constantly learning, but never has that been truer than when Rob Bleifer, Executive Chef of Food Network Kitchens (and my former boss!) visited the Amphitheater for a Chopped-style cooking challenge.
Photo courtesy Nicole Ruiz Hudson
Chef Rob is one of the mischievous masterminds behind the challenging, and sometimes scary, mystery baskets on the popular Food Network reality cooking show Chopped. My team and I thought it would be fun to turn the tables and challenge Chef Rob to stand in the competitors shoes for a change, so we created three mystery baskets featuring everything from octopus, Japanese eggplant, seaweed-wrapped rice puffs, and the strangely sweet Yakult yogurt drink.
Photo courtesy Nicole Ruiz Hudson
He had 90 minutes to prepare three dishes for a panel of judges, which included Ed McFarland of Ed’s Lobster Bar, Melissa O’Donnell of SaltBar, and Dean Andre Soltner. I had the pleasure of playing the role of both moderator and sous chef to Chef Rob and enjoyed every minute of watching him sweat and think on his feet. It was not an easy challenge by any means, but he was a great sport and created three very interesting and tasty dishes, all while letting us witness how a chef’s mind works under pressure.
One of our students, Nicole Ruiz Hudson, author of Nibbling Gipsy, has all the details on the challenge, including a play by play of each dish and Food Network scoop, over at the FCI Hot Plate blog.
News flash: I’ve been taking a Food Blogging class at The French Culinary Institute over the last few weeks as a way to expand my blogging knowledge and hopefully help me find some more direction and motivation to make the most of Fun Fearless Foodie. Our instructor, Steven Shaw, was kind enough to lead us on a class field trip to Flushing, Queens this past Sunday to explore the sights and tastes of Chinatown. This adventure has been high on my list of things to do so I jumped at the opportunity.
I hopped on the number seven train and rode it all the way to the end, departing at Flushing-Main Street. However, if I didn’t know any better I would have thought I rode it all the way to China! From the moment I walked up the steps onto the street I knew I wasn’t in Manhattan anymore. Not only did my 5’11″ frame stand out amongst the crowd, but the busy sidewalks and colorful (and busy) street signage resembled everything I’ve see of cities in China. Oh yes, and nothing was written in English.
Steven organized a tasty tour of some of Flushing’s must-try food destinations, starting with a small walk-up dumpling shop called Zhu Ji Guo Tie. After sampling pork dumplings and buns, scallion pancakes, and a Chinese-style empanada stuffed with mustard-greens, we were off to a street cart that specializes in spiced meat skewers from the Xinjiang region, which had a surprisingly Latin and/or Middle Eastern flare. I’m a little afraid of “street-meat” (thanks to FCI ServeSafe education) but I nibbled on some chicken and lamb for good measure.
We toured up and down Main Street, stopping in a popular local market that had a very interesting seafood department. Chinese specialities like geoduck, crab, and cuttlefish were overflowing in bins and live carp and cod fish swam anxiously underneath the fresh fish display. The most surprising discovery for me was to see live eels squirming alongside a case of live frogs. I respect the food traditions of any culture, but seeing these creatures slipping and sliding was a little unsettling.
As we headed off the beaten path towards the Flushing Mall we stopped into Fu Run Restaurant, one of the latest additions to the local dining scene. Steven was adamant that we sample their Muslim lamb dish and we were all thankful for the diversion. This dish had to be the most surprising thing I tasted all day. The fall-off-the-bone meat was crusted with a thick layer of cumin seeds and spices and had the most incredible flavor. The Middle Eastern influence was again unexpected and has me hungry to get back to this restaurant to experience the rest of the menu.
Last but not least, we made it to The Flushing Mall. After passing colorful bridal boutiques and eerily vacant storefronts we made it downstairs to the food court for our final feast. The accommodations are nothing to write home about, but the assortment of hand-pulled and shaved noodles, along with dumplings, salt and pepper chicken, and shaved ice were superb. The cheap prices made it even better.
As we rested our tired feet and dug into our meal we had the opportunity to reflect on our adventure. We all agreed that the biggest surprise of the trip was the stark cultural contrast with life at the other end of the seven train. The food, while not life-changing, was tasty and interesting and highlighted how a culture strives to preserve a taste of home in their new land. The journey was a highlight in my New York experience and I look forward to heading back soon for more adventures. Who knows, maybe I’ll even get the courage to try frog’s legs!
After much hype, anticipation, and hard work, Meatopia 2011 arrived this past weekend on the cusp of a heat wave in New York City. Scorching temp’s weren’t enough to stop carnivorous New Yorkers from converging on Pier 5 at Brooklyn Bridge Park to taste the meaty creations of over 40 top chef’s and wash it down with ice-cold Amstel Light.
You may remember that I participated in this event last year, which was fun and tasty in its own way, but this year’s event was unprecedented. With chef’s like Michael White, Ludo Lefebvre, Floyd Cardoz, Brad Farmerie, a gorgeous waterfront location, and enough food and space to avoid lines, it was really a meat-eaters paradise.
The French Culinary Institute was a Meatopia partner and sponsor and we supplied the chefs and event organizers with rock star student volunteers to help make the event a success. I was tasked with coordinating our students and had a heck of a day running around, placing students, helping chefs, carrying boxes of meat, taking respites in Pat LaFrieda refrigerated trucks, and drinking 30 bottles of Fiji water.
All the hard work paid off when the doors opened and the sun started to set, allowing me to roam around tasting everything from chicken hearts, black pudding waffles, and a bite of an entire steer that had been roasting for over 30 hours! (see pictures below). The highlight of the day came from my friend, Chef Bobby Hellen of Resto. He thought to bring a kiddy pool, loaded it with ice water, and allowed my co-workers and I to rest our hot and tired feet. THAT was the VIP area
Check out some of my photos from this crazy, delicious day below!
The City may quiet down in the summertime, but things are busy as can be at FCI. I knew when I took this job that I would have the opportunity to meet some great chefs and be exposed to carefully and artfully prepared food, but I had no idea how exciting, educational, and down-right fun it would be. As you may have noticed, I’ve been working quite a bit and attending to Fun Fearless Foodie a lot less, but as you will see from my photos below, it’s been for good reason! Here’s a taste of what I’ve been up to this summer:
We kicked things off with the 4th annual Hot Dog Eating Contest, a fundraising event for the Friends of the FCI Scholarship Fund. Chef Instructors raced to see who could eat the most slider-sized dogs in 3 minutes (the winner, below, scarfed down 13!) and students had to devour a 30-inch dog (plus bun!) as fast as they could to determine the winner. While it was hurl-inducing watching this go down, the crowd was amazing and they all put on quite a show. Plus we raised over $6,000 for a very important cause!
Chef’s Franklin Becker and Hung Huynh (Top Chef season 3 winner) of Abe & Arthur’s here in NYC stopped by the amphitheater to teach students about cephalopods, the delicious sea creatures we know as octopus, squid, and cuttlefish, or sepia. We watched them do a variety of preparations, like the smokey and spicy sepia a la plancha (pictured below). We also got a special showing of Hung breaking down a whole chicken into 10 pieces in 16 seconds. WOW. Hung is opening up a new seafood restaurant around the corner from Abe & Arthur’s in the meatpacking district called CATCH which is slated to open late summer.
Chef Zac Pelaccio, FCI alum and leader of the Fatty Crew, partnered with Heritage Foods USA to demonstrate how to break down and use a whole goat for a how-to video for home cooks and chefs to promote the upcoming Goat Month. Male goats are in abundance for farmers thanks to their efficient ability to tend to their lady goats. As such, most male goats are slaughtered out of necessity and Heritage is trying to raise awareness to this delicious lean protein and connect farmers and chefs so they can both benefit. More to come on Goat Month in October.
Chef Craig Koketsu, executive chef of Fourth Wall Restaurant Group, which includes top NYC spots Park Avenue Summer, The Hurricane Club, and Quality Meats, did a demonstration on 5 ingredient cooking and showcased how you can achieve big flavors from a few simple ingredients. He served up a delicate and fresh baby chioga beet salad with labne yogurt, pickled ginger, and toasted sesame (below), as well as some ufra biber-spiced prawns with a sweet and spicy coconut sauce. He was able to demo and serve 6 perfectly executed dishes in 2 hours for the crowd, all while sharing his culinary wisdom.
When we’re not busy coordinating chef demonstrations, we’re doing some very important R&D, like the beer and food pairing curriculum development meeting pictured below. Sampling some diverse craft brews and figuring out what flavor combinations work best is tough work, but someone has to do it.
FCI Dean of Pastry Arts (and one of my personal favorites) chef Jacques Torres spoiled us with a chocolate-themed demo, with everything from chocolate mousse to this artfully crafted chocolate painting below. The canvas is made with white chocolate, the frame is dark chocolate that he rolled crumpled foil over to achieve that textured design, and the paint is made from chocolate too! He made it all look so simple. His charming and hilarious persona made for an unforgettable afternoon.
I spent a very long Sunday in the kitchen with FCI alum and food stylist Krista Ruane and a team of some very talented stylists and photographers working on a shoot for Pat LaFrieda’s new website. We cooked and photographed over 10 beautiful, quality cuts of meat that day, as well as prepared sides and composed dishes like the delectable looking hot dogs below. It was so great to be back in the kitchen and working on a styling shoot, one of my real passions. I am so lucky that this is something I can still be apart of!
To finish on a sweet note, executive pastry chef Salvatore Martone from L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon at the Four Seasons delighted our pastry students with a sugar-themed demo where he showed of his sugar pulling and candy making skills, as well as showed us how he creates their most famous dessert, a sugar sphere filled with a lighter-than-air passionfruit mousse and dark chocolate sorbet. Chef Sal was kind enough to make samples for all of us and we savored every bite. This photo can do no justice to the beauty of this dessert in person, simply amazing.
And Michael Laiskonis, executive pastry chef at Le Bernardin, packed the house with a standing-room only crowd to see his take on plated desserts and hear how he finds inspiration. He also taught us about molecular gastronomy and how he uses techniques like reverse-sphereification to create components like apricot spheres (below).
Needless to say, it’s been a busy summer, and it’s just getting started. Check back soon for more tasty photos and stories from my crazy delicious life!
It feels like only yesterday that I was packing away my winter coat and gleefully welcoming the spring season and all the gorgeous produce and light sweater weather that it brings to New York. And now here I am, at the (unofficial) beginning of summer, sweating my butt off and looking back at the madness that was the season of renewal.
After the fanfare of graduation wore off and I took a much needed (albeit short) break, I had the pleasure of running all over New York City as a shopper for the Food Network throughout the month of April. This was exciting for a lot of reasons. First, this was my first gig as a “freelancer”, meaning I was no longer an intern and finally got paid like an adult again. But more importantly, exploring the city on foot as I shopped for ingredients to supply the Food Network Kitchens and their culinary productions proved to be a fun adventure, and a great workout!
Each day brought about its challenges—finding 10 picture perfect lemons at Manhattan Fruit Exchange, fighting afternoon traffic in a taxi to make it to Kalustyan’s spice shop for berberi spice, or visiting every bodega and drug store on the west side of Manhattan in search of green fruit roll-ups. Did you know that they don’t sell plain old Fruit Roll-Ups anymore? They all come in strange colors and shapes, sometimes you can find strawberry, but green, forget it! Some gross bodega fruit leather had to do, and as it turns out, the 20 I purchased were never needed after all (I’ll spare sharing the talent’s name on this one )
A lot of the things I bought ended up being giveaways at the end of shoots, but in the moment, you are on a mission and you must do whatever it takes to get that product back to the studios as fast as you can. By month’s end I was ready to move on to the next adventure, but I enjoyed every moment, and mostly working with the coolest sidekick ever, Ms. Vivian Chan. You rock girl!
I had a bittersweet farewell at the Food Network after a very fulfilling and educational four months, but as luck would have it, a new job was waiting for me round the bend. I happily accepted a full-time position at the French Culinary Institute (or as it’s now referred to, The International Culinary Center) working in the Culinary Programming department.
The past 30 days have been a complete whirlwind. Every day has been different than the one before, I have gotten some quality time in the kitchen prepping for events, have met and worked with some incredible chefs, and am working with students to increase their culinary knowledge and passion through demonstrations. My job is to recruit and work with chefs to welcome them into the ICC family, whether it is sitting on one of our culinary final jury’s, hosting a demonstration in our theater, teaching a recreational class, or any other creative way we can get them involved. Eating, networking, and constantly learning are how I spend my days, not too shabby!
I’m very excited about this new chapter in my life and I have strong faith that it will be a wonderful step in my culinary career. The downside to working full-time again is that I have less time to experiment and test in my kitchen to share recipes with you on Fun Fearless Foodie, but rest assured, I have been and will be chronicling my experiences at the ICC and will be sharing tips and tricks from culinary greats as much as I can.
As always, thank you for supporting and following me on this crazy journey. Stay hungry!
Pictures are worth a thousand words, aren’t they? The two I’ve featured here represent the beginning and end of one of the most exciting and rewarding adventures of my life—studying Culinary Arts at the French Culinary Institute in New York City. If only I had a picture for all the emotions, experiences, burns, cuts, and lessons learned in between! (If you look real close at the picture on the right you can see a bandage covering up my best burn yet, appropriately earned during my final exam.)
The woman on the left was excited, nervous as all get out, and hopeful that the decision to quit her job in Florida, pack up her life and move to New York City to pursue her passion for food would be one she wouldn’t regret. The unknown is the scariest part about change; a million questions run through your mind about whether you will like the change, if you can handle the pressure, if you can survive in a huge city, if you have what it takes to be successful. I didn’t have any of those answers, but what I did have was conviction and determination and that would have to be enough.
Culinary school wasn’t easy. From day one you’re put in your place and learn that the foundation of culinary education starts with the basics, and from there you build. Three long nights a week I sweated over hot stoves, chopped vegetables until my knife skills were just right, butchered fish, carried heavy pots and pans, got splattered with chicken guts, and watched over sauces crossing my fingers that I did everything right. Each night was an adventure; some left you feeling triumphant, others defeated. Regardless of how the night ended, I always felt like I learned something, not only about cooking, but about myself, and at the end of the day, that’s what education is all about.
The woman on the right is smiling because she knows that she made the best decision of her life and has seen her hard work payoff. There is a strange, peaceful calm that comes over you when you know things are the way they are supposed to be, when all of that fear and doubt washes away and you are left with clarity. I have that now, and even though I can’t predict the future and have no idea where it’s going to take me, I know that it will be somewhere doing something that I love.
Now that the culinary school chapter has come to a close it’s time to put my degree to work and show the food world what I’m all about. I’m going to be doing some freelance work at the Food Network in April and have an exciting new opportunity on the horizon for May, which I will tell you all about as it gets closer. I’m going to work on growing and enhancing Fun Fearless Foodie, brining you a new look with more recipes, adventures, and mouth-watering photos that will hopefully broaden your knowledge of food and inspire you to get (or stay) in the kitchen.
Thank you to all of you who have been so encouraging and supportive of my journey, your notes, comments, and kind words really mean the world to me. I want to leave you with lyrics from one of my new favorite songs by The Avett Brothers. The song “Head Full of Doubt/Road Full of Promise” is one of those songs that the minute I heard it I just felt like it was written for me, perhaps it will speak to you too.
“Decide what to be and go be it
There was a dream, and one day I could see it
Like a bird in a cage I broke in and demanded that somebody free it
And there was a kid, with a head full of doubt
So I’ll scream til I die and the last of those bad thoughts are finally out”
When I stopped by “Martha Stewart’s Pies & Tarts” Pop-Up shop this weekend I got a first hand look at the new book (which is a must-have) and had the opportunity to talk pie with Sarah Carey of Everyday Food and Shira Bocar of Whole Living as they made mini rhubarb and raspberry galettes.
Here are some of their tips for making simple free-form pies:
Free form pies, like galettes and crostatas, are versatile and easy, and should be in every home cooks arsenal. They don’t require a pie or baking dish and can be made as big or small as you like. Simply shape the dough around your filling by hand, brush with an egg wash, and dust with a sweet or savory topping.
When making free-form pies, cut out square shapes from your dough (see photos below) instead of circles; this gets you more bang for your buck and prevents wasted dough scraps.
If your dough is soft or warm after shaping your pies, don’t put them straight in the oven; this will cause them to open up and send your filling all over the place. Instead, chill them in fridge for at least 30 minutes to 1 hour and then bake away.
Mini galettes are the perfect make-ahead dessert for a party; assemble them on a sheet tray lined with parchment, wrap in plastic, and store in the fridge until ready to bake. They cook fast and will keep you with your guests instead of in the kitchen.
You can fill a galette with just about anything—sweet fruits or savory vegetables—but it’s important to remember how juicy your filling is. If working with juicy fillings like berries or tomatoes, use cornstarch as your binding agent. If working with firmer fillings like apples, stone fruits, or squash, use flour, which has less starch, to hold everything together.
Now that spring is here, rhubarb and raspberry galettes are the perfect dessert to celebrate the season. Check out the step-by-step photos of Shira assembling the galettes below and click here to get the recipe from MarthaStewart.com.
Step 1: Make your filling. This has fresh raspberries, rhubarb, sugar, & cornstarch.
Step 2: Roll your dough into a rectangular shape and cut out square shapes.
Step 3: Place a generous amount of filling in the center of each square.
Step 4: Working in a circle, fold the edges over the filling, pinching to seal the edges.
Step 5: Brush the top of the dough w/ egg wash and sprinkle w/ coarse sugar. Bake @ 400 for 30 minutes, then 375 for 15 minutes more.
If there’s one thing Martha Stewart knows, it’s pie, and nowhere is that more apparent than in her latest book, Martha Stewart’s Pies & Tarts, a tribute to America’s classic dessert. The team at Martha Stewart Living has put together a compendium of pie and tart recipes, beautifully organized into the categories classic, free-form, sleek, dreamy, rustic, layered, dainty, artful, holiday, and savory.
Crispy, buttery, and sweet plum crostata
There is literally something for everyone in this book. From the fool-proof chocolate cream pie to the sophisticated and artful shingled-leaf brandy apple pie, novice and professional bakers alike will find inspiration and learn a thing or two. The book includes a section entitled “The Basics” that features an ingredient and equipment glossary, illustrated techniques for things like lattice tops and double crusts, and basic recipes for crusts, creams, and more. This book will become my go-to on the subject and I look forward to smudging it up with butter and chocolate stained fingertips for years to come.
Pies were going fast!
To promote the launch of the new book, Team Martha hosted a Pop-Up shop in New York City’s Greenwich Village this weekend where they sold autographed copies of the book (which I’m now the proud owner of) along with mini-versions of some of the pies featured within. I traveled downtown on Saturday afternoon to meet my wonderful friend Erin and partake in the pie madness.
The shop was packed and by the time I arrived they had already sold out of some of the more popular varieties. After picking up my copy I snagged a chewy chess pie while they lasted then headed to the back to watch Sarah Carey and Shira Bocar of Everyday Food and Whole Living (respectively) demo mini rhubarb and raspberry galettes and answer questions.
Gift with purchase: chewy chess pie-full of butter and caramel goodness!
Sarah Carey showing us how she makes pie dough
I’m thrilled that I was able to attend the event, and even more excited to get baking and try out some of the delicious recipes. Look out for a strawberry galette with basil whipped cream, chocolate mouse tart with hazelnuts, and cheddar crust apple pie on Fun Fearless Foodie soon.
How much is that pie in the window? Priceless apparently, these weren't for sale
It appears the pop-up restaurant trend is showing no signs of stopping, especially here in New York City where chefs, food personalities, and even the James Beard Foundation are setting up shop for a limited-time only to sell treats and cater world-class dinners.
Pies and Tarts Pop-Up Shop
The domestic-diva herself, Martha Stewart, is hosting a Pies and Tarts Pop-Up Shop this weekend only to promote her new book, aptly titled Martha Stewart’s New Pies & Tarts. Dreamy cream pies, dainty lemon tartlets, classic fruit pies, savory galettes, and rustic hand pies will be on sale at the shop in Greenwich Village, along with a peak at the new book. I will be stopping by this weekend to indulge in some buttery treats and will be sure to share photos and recipe ideas from the event next week. Stop by if you’re in the city!
When: Saturday & Sunday, March 26 & 27, 10am-6pm
Where: 93 Greenwich Avenue, Between Bank and West 12th Street
One could argue that the James Beard Foundation invented the idea of the pop-up restaurant-they bring in world-class chefs for one-night only events weekly after all-but now they are taking it one step further and staking a temporary home in Chelsea Market for a month long endeavor titled JBF LTD.
According to their website, “over the course of five weeks, we’re bringing together incredible chefs, celebrated authors, television personalities, and many other people and partners to create the most exciting pop-up food pavilion and restaurant New York has seen.”
Foodies and pop-culture enthusiasts can look forward to a café open for lunch, and ticketed evening events featuring tasting menus by some of the country’s best and brightest chefs. Here’s a highlight of upcoming events, but tickets will go fast, so make sure you get online April 1 and snag them before those hungry New Yorker’s beat you to it!
April 12–16: Michelin three-star chef Laurent Gras, formerly of L20, Chicago
April 26: JBF Award Winner Michelle Bernstein, Michy’s and Sra. Martinez, Miami, and Consulting Chef, Delta Air Lines
May 3–7: Iñaki Aizpitarte, Le Châteaubriand, Paris, with JBF Award Winner David Chang and Team Momofuku, NYC
May 11–14: JBF Award Winner David Kinch and John Paul Carmona, Manresa, Los Gatos, CA
When: April 12-May 14. The space will be open daily (except Mondays) from 11 am to 4 pm, with regularly scheduled programs starting at 2:30 pm.
Where: JBF LTD, located inside Chelsea Market, 75 9th Avenue, between 14th and 15th Street
Macy’s Culinary Council chef Todd English will be appearing at Macy’s Cellar, Herald Square this weekend for a free cooking demonstration. He is celebrating the new Showtime Original Series, The Borgias, and has created a special classic Italian dish for the occasion which he will be cooking and sharing with the crowd. This is a great opportunity to catch one of New York’s hottest chefs and restaurantuers in action, plus a great excuse to do some shopping!
When: Sunday March 27, 1:00 pm
Where: Macy’s at Herald Square, Macy’s Cellar, 151 West 34th Street
As far as most of New York (and The New York Times) is concerned, anything important in food is happening right now in Brooklyn. Get out there for yourself and see what all the fuss is about at Brooklyn Exposed’sTasting Brooklyn event. Held at a swanky loft space in Dumbo, the event will feature “culinary treats from over twenty-five food and drink vendors under one roof” and live cooking demos from Fairway’s TV personalities Dan Glickberg and Mitchel London. Tickets are only $45 (which is a steal in this city) and are selling fast.
Bonjour! 2011 has been off to a great start, so great that I haven’t had time to share my adventures with you on Fun Fearless Foodie because I’ve been working nonstop. But it’s all good, no complaints here. Here’s a recap of what I’ve been up to in the Big Apple:
Interning at the Food Network
I kicked off the new year with a new job, working as an intern in the culinary production department at the Food Network. Working with the FNK (Food Network Kitchens) team has been a once and a lifetime opportunity. My first assignment was assisting the lead food stylist on Sunny Anderson’s show Cooking for Real. For ten days we filmed season nine of her show, which focuses on no-fuss comfort food for the home cook. Sunny was great to work with, and I learned some valuable lessons in culinary production from the crew.
Behind the scenes of Cooking for Real
As soon as we packed up the CFR set it was on to the next show. We changed gears completely and began production on Desserts First with Anne Thornton. It was all things chocolate, butter, and sugar for the last two weeks as I worked with the FNK team. We’re the magical elves that work behind the scenes to make the food look good at every take. It was almost like an intensive pastry program, giving me an opportunity to bake more than I ever have and learn valuable skills that will be sure to benefit me from here on out (and you too!)
A peak at our amazing prep kitchen for Desserts First
In between filming I also had the pleasure of catering a launch party for Debi Mazar’s new show on the Cooking Channel, Extra Virgin, and assisting our executive chef Rob Bleifer (an FCI alum) on teaching none other than Liz Lemon (aka Tina Fey) how to work with phyllo dough, making spanakopita and baklava. Never a dull moment in the kitchen!
I’ve loved my time in the kitchen, but it’s on to new things starting tomorrow as I join the editorial team for the rest of my internship. Excited to report on the experience soon.
Weekend Warrior on Marcus Samuelsson
If you’ve been checking out the site lately you’ve probably noticed my Weekend Warrior posts, which is a column I’m writing for chef Marcus Samuelsson’s website. I’ve been blessed with the opportunity to reach a new audience and grow my writing and recipe development skills. Be sure to check out the recipes I’ve been posting, which include the kind of food you want to try out on the weekend, when you can enjoy your kitchen and take your time, not rushing through the weekday dinner routine.
Babble.com and mommy bloggers
I had my first real freelance writing opportunity come my way and was tasked with writing bios for the mom’s selected as the Top 100 Mommy Food Bloggers for Babble.com, a parenting website. While not exactly Saveur or Food & Wine, it’s a start, and something to put on my resume. Spending countless hours reading food blogs written by moms was an interesting process, some of them are really stellar, others, not so much. Regardless, I’ll be sure to post the list once it gets published so you can judge for yourself.
The Nate Berkus Show
OK, so the show doesn’t have much to do with food per-se, but Oprah’s latest spin off, diy design guru Nate Berkus, stopped by FCI a few weeks back to film a segment where one of his viewers got a personalized cooking lesson from one of my favorite chef’s, Tim Shaw. Never one to turn down an opportunity, I volunteered to appear as a student in the class and stopped in on my day off, which was great fun. Watch the clip below and see if you can spot me, my long brown ponytail seems to get the most airtime
The final stretch of culinary school
I can hardly believe this as I write it, but I only have 4 weeks left of school! It really feels like only yesterday that I was posing in my chef whites for the first time, full of nerves and excitement, but on March 16 (as long as I pass my final) I will be a graduate of the French Culinary Institute. I’ve been working in the school’s restaurant, L’Ecole, for the past few months and am still enjoying the experience. If any of you are in the New York area and want to stop in for dinner, make a reservation for any Tuesday/Thursday/Saturday and I’ll be there cooking for you.
Check out the nightly specials I came up with while working in the pastry kitchen:
Peanut butter banana cream pie
Trio of tart tatins: pineapple, sour cherry, and apple
What’s up next
The next month is going to be all about finishing culinary school strong, learning as much as I can from my internship, and trying to line up work post-graduation. My goal is to work freelance assisting food stylists and/or culinary producers, writing more, updating the site, and trying to build the Fun Fearless Foodie brand. Not sure where this adventure will take me next, but I can’t wait to find out!
I quit my corporate job in Florida and enrolled in the Culinary Arts program at The French Culinary Institute in NYC, graduated, and now work there full-time coordinating chef demonstrations, recreational classes, and culinary events. Food is my life and I couldn't be happier.
Tara O'Keeffe