A few days ago in class, friend and classmate of mine brought in a few antique molds that were given to her as a gift.  They were gorgeous aluminum molds made around 1870 in Germany.  Although they were fairly beat up from years of use, when she filled them and made hollow chocolates from them it turned out amazing looking. 

So, I took it upon myself to get... Read More

Ski season is soon coming to an end, everyday the weather around Denver gets warmer and warmer.  The threat of blizzards are still looming during the 75 degree days and on a day like yesterday when Denver got a foot of snow and the temperature was about 12 degrees, I was happy that maintenance has not turned on the air conditioning yet.

For those of you who ar... Read More

I'm terribly biased, but I have to give props to my alma mater. The French Culinary Institute will be open for weekend brunch beginning this Saturday, March 28th. Why care? Well, if you're a diner, the three course prix fixe menu boasts a variety of stellar-looking options that will provide f... Read More

Continuing on the recession theme (because isn't everyone in "this economy?"), I thought to address the question: culinary school or kitchen job? If you're a young cook or career changer, it's difficult to decide whether to enhance your skills and knowledge in an academic environment, or learn by doing in a professional setting. There's no single right answer, but giv... Read More

It was a Wednesday, and my second night on the fish station. All evening long my partner and I made sure the pan was piping hot as we sizzled the mushroom garnish that our Arctic char sat atop with a fragrant carrot-fennel sauce on the side.

Everything seemed to go well. But we got off track on one order and that was enough to feel like we let the station down.... Read More

Where is the perfect pizza, fried chicken or cupcake? New York is a city that seems obsessed with the best this and best that.

One of latest food crazes: ramen.

I love ramen - fancy or not. I don't care if it's the variety college student subsist on (although I'll admit I'll gussy it up with a poached egg, frozen peas and corn, sometimes leftover chicken... Read More

With fewer restaurants hiring because of the recession, where should a cook look for a position? If you still want to have "chef" on your resume, but the restaurant doors seem temporarily closed, check out these fields:

Health Industry
For a cook who loves to experiment and use lots of exotic ingredients and spices, making food at ... Read More

When you cook for yourself or friends, it's one thing. But when you serve the general public, it's a completely different ball game: your food must be properly cooked, well-seasoned, on time and impeccably plated.

My classmate and I recently started worked in the French Culinary Institute's restaurant, L'Ecole. We hope we're ready.

I'm glad to have start... Read More

I recently ate a tripe dish that I didn't care for, but I'm guessing my bad experience was different from that of most others who complain about eating cow stomach. The usual gripes are about the texture (chewy), smell (a combination of cat pee and dirty socks when raw) or taste ( cooked improperly, that pee-sock smell becomes a flavor). Despite these descriptions, th... Read More

New York is full of people obsessed with restaurants.

That's great for us who want to work in them but for people wishing to grab a table, it can be a nightmare.

I experienced this firsthand at least three times in the past week.

In New York, dining at a trendy restaurant can seem like a competition, a status thing, really.

Two weeks ago I ... Read More