When I tell someone I attend culinary school, more often than not, that person conjures an image of a chef yelling at a student while flames are engulfing half the stovetop. (I blame this on food reality shows.)

How accurate is this? Yes, it does happen. Often? Not so much.

From one night at the French Culinary Institute's restaurant, L'Ecole: My group i... Read More

I completely blanked out, as mentioned previously, and missed the tuition deadline for summer session classes. Rightfully so, they bumped me out of Quantity I. Thankfully my super-awesome advisor flipped a switch and allowed me to skip over Q-1 and go right into Baking and Pastry I. I was so excited and happy that I failed to realize this class will be taking place du... Read More

It is now time for my final lab for this year; Advanced Cake Decorating.  I love making cakes and this class will be fairly easy for me.  The only problem is that my table-mates are making it more difficult for me than I thought it would be.

On the first day of class we were all given the chance to pick our groups and sit with whoever we wanted to.  I have s... Read More

Both of my finals were/are today - Food and Beverage Management, which I took this morning and aced; and Food Safety tonight, which I’m most nervous about passing. I didn’t study much this weekend…because…I WON! I won the apple category in the Crisco National Pie Championships, professional division. Although I didn’t win... Read More

Okay, I admit it: I can be a food a snob.

Even before I enrolled at the French Culinary Institute, I could be fussy about the quality of ingredients I'd use to whip up a steak salad or pasta and Bolognese for dinner. Is the meat from an organic farmer? How fresh are the greens? Which brand of pasta did my partner purchase? All this has gotten even more severe s... Read More

I recently purchased a dozen organic, fertilized chicken eggs from the Union Square farmers market. I was interested in taste testing them against regular, organic, farmers market eggs. Fertilized chicken eggs are rumored to have a stronger, eggier taste, and also be more nutritious. The idea of eating a potential life didn't appeal to my inner baby animal-lover, but ... Read More

The amount of creativity that floats around in a baking and pastry kitchen always amazes me.  For the final project in Chocolate and Sugar Showpieces lab was to make a sugar showpiece of your choice.  Everyone had a different theme that not only was beautiful but also showed a little about themselves.

Here are the pictures of my cl... Read More

Food Network emailed all National Pie Championship competitors this evening, asking for release forms. Food competitions are fun, but expensive - I’ve already spent $50 on vanilla alone - and I still need to purchase the rest of the ingredients no later than Thursday so I have enough time to prep for 3 pies.

I’m not sure when the competition will ai... Read More

Tonight marked the last date of my prerequisite classes - Food and Bev. Management, and Food Safety and Sanitation. I’m officially through the first semester.

Food and Beverage Management, which I’m sure most of you have already taken, basically defined what the industry takes for granted as good common sense. We automatically follow certain procedu... Read More

There is an odd looking machine that quietly sits in the back of one pastry lab at Johnson and Wales.  It’s made of all metal and is rusty and looks very well-used.  Sense starting school a year ago I have always wondered what it was used for.  This week I finally had the chance to find out.

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