Level 2 has begun and so far things are moving along nicely. We all enjoyed our Memorial Day and came back refreshed (some maybe hungover?) and ready to tackle the next lesson- Variety Meats. Yum…

Variety Meats or Offal are typically overlooked internal organs of pork, beef, chicken, veal, or duck. Some, like foie gras or sweetbreads are considered a deli... Read More

The chef behind the Momofuku phenomenon, David Chang (an FCI alum), dished on what he thought about his culinary school experience in a little online interview found here. I have heard that Chang had previously been somewhat dismissive of his FCI experience, but he clarifies in the interv... Read More

So, last night we prepared the oft maligned Blanquette de Veau: delicious, tender chunks of veal blanketed in a sauce supreme. Of course we couldn’t get through the lesson without multiple interjections questioning the treatment of the “baby cows”, and an assistant chef even directed the class to check out the PETA website.

I don’t under... Read More

Going to culinary school has been the best decision I have ever made in my life. Not that I have a track record of awesome decision making that could compete with it for the title of “Best Decision Ever,” but it has been a fantastic step. Moving from Virginia to New York was scary (and freezing) at first, but ultimately liberating (and there are way better... Read More

Hello and welcome! Thanks for reading my 1st posting on my pastry student blog for Chef2Chef. I have just crossed the three month mark of my nine month Classic Pastry Arts program at the French Culinary Institute in New York City. I have lots to chat about and many experiences to share, but I wanted to start by sharing a bit of the story of how I came to find myself i... Read More