I had the good fortune to dine at Esca recently, Mario Batali, Joe Bastianich and chef David Pasternack's Italian seafood restaurant in Hell's Kitchen. The entire meal was wonderful, but what lingers with me even more than maccheroni alla chittara with sea urchin and crab meat, is the parsley. The parsley at Esca is a revelation.

Parsley is the red headed step... Read More

I'm in love! And it's not with the handsome, appropriately tattooed bartender I met the other day (although there is potential). I'm in love with my neighborhood, Hell's Kitchen. Apparently other people share my passion, because it was just named as the neighborhood with the

I judged the midterm exam at The French Culinary Institute this past week, a plus of being an FCI alumni. While the final is judged by distinguished members of the New York culinary scene, the midterm dishes are graded by us not-so distinguished former students.

The midterm is a bane or a blast, depending on which side of the judges’ table you're on. For... Read More

One of the best things about going to culinary school in New York, or just living in New York, is the Union Square Greenmarkt. Much has been written about this urban farmer's market - it's not one of the many hidden culinary gems that food writers in this city are always uncovering. But it is a marvel, even to a regular patron like myself.

If you're a culinary ... Read More

Although I adore New York, I'm still a Washington DC girl at heart - I like political talk shows, unnecessarily aggressive driving and despite their ranking, the Nats. As for the restaurant scene? It has come along way since the politico's taste for classic French and steakhouse ruled the scene. The quality and diversity can't compare to New York, but DC is host to ... Read More

Part of being a l cook is rarely cooking for oneself. When you make food for hours on end, either as a student or professional, the process of shopping, cooking and cleaning seems like too much effort. Living in New York, it's tempting to slack on the couch and let someone else do the grunt work. Luckily for us, even the best restaurants deliver.

But being cook... Read More

Sadly, I graduated from the FCI last week. It's bittersweet, just like L'Ecole's lemon chocolate cake…which I will never make again : (

For all those with weak sarcasm sensors, a BIG "just kidding!!!" on that one. But graduations do elicit sentimentality. I'll refrain from repeating Semisonic's "Closing Time" on my ipod, but the occasion calls for someth... Read More

I took the final exam at the FCI last week, which was quite an event. It's an important test that comprises 50 percent of your final level grade, but unlike any college exam, there's not much studying you can do to prepare. After 6 months of training, you can either cook or you can't. Things go smoothly, or there's an unforeseen disaster (ie. knocking your pot of sauc... Read More

Cooks tend to have minds that reside permanently in the gutter. As Anthony Bourdain observed in Kitchen Confidential, "As an art form, cook-talk is, like haiku or kabuki, defined by established rules…All comments must, out of historical necessity, concern involuntary rectal penetration, penis size, physical flaws or annoying mannerisms or defects." But even if o... Read More

In professional kitchens, most of the creative work is left to those in charge. The same is true of culinary school, but there are certain times at the FCI when students design something of their own. This is especially true during the last two levels, when students working in the restaurant are asked to design amuse bouche, sandwich, omelette and vegetarian items. If... Read More