My First Chef Battle...Coming UP! From the driver's seat to the hot seat...

I am so fortunate to be able to spend my days with remarkable chefs, helping them promote and demonstrate, helping to sell their books and generally just make them look good. I am great at it. It is truly a joy to meet and far exceed chef and handlers'expectations setting up and facilitating a class or show. What a treat that Chef Michael Mina, a hero of mine, was amazed at how fun and easy his class was at the wonderful Fresh Starts Cooking School . How about Joanne Wier telling me that our class prep and staff was amongst the best she has ever experienced as a world traveling cooking teacher?!

For example, my beloved Chef Heidi Krahling, from the celebrated Insalata's Restaurant, came for a fabulous and delicious cooking class and cook book event to celebrate her gorgeous new book, Insalata's Mediterranean Table ( http://www.insalatas.com/cookbook/cookbook.html). We had so much fun making her unctuous Houriya, a spicy carrot puree, Muhammara, an eggplant and walnut dip, a superb Portugeses Caldo Verde Soup and her famous Fattoush Salad. Heidi explained a lot about exciting flavors she uses, such as Zatar, a sesame seed and spice mixture, Harissa, the spicy pepper sauce and  pomegranate molasses. Guests enjoyed a bountiful buffet served by Chef Jacques Kirk and the Fresh Starts Culinary Academy. Fresh Starts is an amazing educational and community program that supports our on site homeless programs. You really must see it. What we all accomplish as a team is very inspiring. Again, Chef Krahling was thrilled at how perfectly we had set up for her class. Compared to the last school where she was the guest chef, it was no comparison. We rocked it! Naturally... 

Well, I do love sharing and yes, even being in the culinary spot light. But how about being in the culinary "hot seat"? Gulp. That will be my "scene" on Thursday, March 4th. Up until now, I was the one setting up the chef battles, helping, emceeing and watching as the chefs sweated it out head to head. Watching and hosting is WAAAAY different than being in the battle! To set the scene, I am flying back to the Chicago area to help launch our national culinary programs for Sears. Crazy cool. What a blast to be able to help design and execute ground breaking programs,  relying on my years of crazy culinary events, from parking lots and county fairs to spectacular caterings at George Lucas' house! Each event gave me valuable experience for sure...

My battle partner, Chef Billy Parisi is my super new team mate for Sears. He is a great friend already and we wince at the thought of competing but it will actually be incredibly fun. We will be in the gian-nornmous Sears Atrium (photo in blog post above) with lights, cameras and hundreds of onlookers! Our judges will be top Sears brass and we will each have 2 sous-chefs from the ranks of the employees. My fab new friend, George Economos from the local Whole Foods in Palatine will be coming to the battle with glistening fresh seafood, produce and other luscious gourmet ingredient for us to cook. Keep posted for more details as the Sears Chefs Challenge begins! I am so excited! Then, I am launching our Shoppertainment events with a March 6th Kids Culinary Cafe event. Stay tuned for information about the uber-celebrity that is scheduled to be there that same day. My life is so wild sometimes...