Young & Hungry

Welcome to New York.  “Welcome to the beginning of the rest of your life.”  They do say NYC is the city of opportunity don’t they?   I can’t think of anyplace that contains such a diverse range of offerings in anything and everything your heart desires.  In conjunction with the start of “the rest of my life” I finally began reading the book “Setting the Table” by Danny Meyer, which I received on my last birthday.  For those that don’t already know, Danny Meyer is the NY restaurateur who started such popular joints as Union Square Café, Gramercy Tavern, and Shake Shack, among others when he decided to renovate his career here in the big apple (& abroad) like yours truly.  In his book, Meyer explains the importance of hospitality in the restaurant business stating that “nothing is as important as how one is made to feel in a business transaction”.  I find this to be an interesting business philosophy in one of the least hospitable places I’ve ever visited, but one learns early in business school that differentiation is the key to success.  I can’t help but agree with Meyer’s perspective, being myself hesitant to get involved in the more high-falutin and competitive restaurant scene, but if you and your employees can harness the power to run your business for the customer you might maintain the proper motivation for entering the industry.  I have yet to mark any of his restaurants off my list, but you better believe they’re all on there and that I’ll be paying each a visit with the book and his strategies fresh in my memory.

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I’d like to take a moment to pat ourselves on the back…..the votes are in…drum roll please… and Nutty Buddy Bonanza took a second place tie in the Jake’s Ice Cream Taste of the Highlands Flavor Contest for Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta!!!  This marks our second foray into ice cream creation as Jake’s was also the site of the creation of our beloved Breakfast in Bed, still a top selling flavor!  Please keep your eyes peeled as this flavor will be produced and sold in Jake’s locations around Atlanta in the coming weeks.

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Check out the other finalists here!

Just when I had come to terms with the fact that I was not getting a callback, there it came!  A call from an unknown number in LA mid-wine tasting.  On a side note, I would like to give kudos to the Tasting Room in Sandy Springs for hosting one of the best and most informative wine tastings I’ve ever attended.  Back to the phone call.  Not having yet realized the importance of the mysterious number in my call log, I thoughtlessly  dialed voice mail while perusing the isles of the wine shop next door with my girl friends.  Stop.  Drop.  Squeal!  They called and are wondering if I’m still interested!  Duh, of course I am.  Roll camera!

 

It all started with leftover nuts.  Hazelnuts, to be exact.  I have quite an assortment of nuts lingering in my pantry from Christmas just begging to live up to their full potential.  Who am I to deny a lonely hazelnut their proper fate?  And so I thought, hazelnuts and…..orange….and….fish!  Yes it sounds like a bizarre combination, but upon my required due diligence I found that many a chef has gone there before.  And so I had my main course, orange scented hazelnut encrusted halibut or err…salmon.  With sides still TBD, I kept thinking until I came up with a more complimentary rendition on a braised fennel I learned in a cooking class in Italy and, last but not least, the curious potato risotto from this month’s Bon Appétit! 

 
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The forwarded email casually suggested I might be interested. My IMMEDIATE response screamed “Yes, please!” And thank you for the information, of course. So began our investigation into what will soon be the American Idol of cooking shows. Master Chef is a new series modeled after the shows now airing in Australia and London. The Fox series, however, will star Gordon Ramsey and contain local talent which they’ve spent the last month scouring the US to find. Obviously, Katy attended the casting call in Dallas and I attended in Atlanta. Hopefully it’s not so obvious that neither of us have received a call back, but I’m hoping that’s just because they have not yet realized what fabulous television the two of us dueling it out in the kitchen would make…

Alas, after completing a 12 page application and a lot of planning, experimenting, and waiting we have heard nothing. Not that the experience itself wasn’t totally worthwhile. I can say that because I made my way through the doors 2 hours later and right before the sky opened up in a not so nice wintry rain. Those merely arriving on-time were not so lucky, yet I concede that anything done while holding a fresh & hand delivered Starbuck’s Misto is not completely intolerable. In line I heard stories of casting calls past, favorite restaurants, and meals, soon to be plated and presented to the judges. Once we entered the Viking School all chatter was silenced by nerves until we were ushered into a station to plate and present. Honestly, I fumbled, jittery from the cold and coffee. I managed to get my stuffed squid to look appealing enough, however, raised my hand, and did my best to woo the Casting Director and Fox Newscaster who would determine my fate. Although I failed to notice, I was told the cameras were on me during my interview so if nothing else perhaps I’ll at least make the first episode! And, of course, this original dish for you!

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