Time to rename my blog
I'll call it "People I know on the TV."
This is how much of a geek I am, my favorite restaurateur puts out a quarterly newsletter and I read it from cover to cover. Maybe that's not so geeky, because there are deals and event announcements, but it sure feels geeky to be so hopped up about food.
I used to work for this guy and I kind of idolize him a bit. I can't say that about many chef's I've worked with, some think so highly of themselves that it's hard to take. But not Joe. Joe's love and passion for food is infectious. He and his chef's travel the world and hang with the best and bring the best flavor combos a palate could ever hope for - right here to Milwaukee.
Part of the waitress training involved a week in the kitchen -- I had to cook and eat one of everything on the menu. Brilliant. It was how he taught us the food, instead of memorizing ingredients and spouting them out when asked -- you could convey the heaven of each dish by really knowing how it was prepared and such.
All I can say is, I have worked in a lot of restaurants and it's somewhat typical to have the kitchen filled with chef's who think they are Gods that have to work with a lowly wait staff as a necessary evil. Joe has a way creating an all for one, one for all environment -- I loved working for him and his family, it really felt like being a part of something.
Truthfully, it really was being a part of something. When you think about some of the best food in it's category, that the entire world has to offer, and I get to eat it regularly -- holy privilege Batman.
I'm making myself yearn for Bartalotta food. East Coast, West Coast -feh! The best is here in the Midwest -- I know it every time I'm eating it -- this is the real deal.
Salivate.
I'll get to the point already, but that was a nice memory trip for me. Alas, great food is like great love, it defies words -- I only wish I could share bites of food over the computer.
The point -- Joe's brother, Paul, is a James Beard award winning chef and he is going to be on Iron Chef!
!!!
I am an absolute Food Network junkie and Alton Brown is one of my favorite geeks ever. What's even more fun is that this is also a bonding point for Rich and I. We did a little happy dance over our two degrees of separation from Alton Brown.
Once again, there is no air date yet but I'm setting my DVR for first run Iron Chef's right away.
I'm such a dork because I get really excited about that show anyway, so I'm a really geeked about seeing the episode. Oh, and he is bringing Chef Adam Siegal from Bartolotta's Lake Park Bistro here in Milwaukee -- so that's another layer of geekedness because I've had both of their cooking before which means we are practically related.
I bet he wins.
This is how much of a geek I am, my favorite restaurateur puts out a quarterly newsletter and I read it from cover to cover. Maybe that's not so geeky, because there are deals and event announcements, but it sure feels geeky to be so hopped up about food.
I used to work for this guy and I kind of idolize him a bit. I can't say that about many chef's I've worked with, some think so highly of themselves that it's hard to take. But not Joe. Joe's love and passion for food is infectious. He and his chef's travel the world and hang with the best and bring the best flavor combos a palate could ever hope for - right here to Milwaukee.
Part of the waitress training involved a week in the kitchen -- I had to cook and eat one of everything on the menu. Brilliant. It was how he taught us the food, instead of memorizing ingredients and spouting them out when asked -- you could convey the heaven of each dish by really knowing how it was prepared and such.
All I can say is, I have worked in a lot of restaurants and it's somewhat typical to have the kitchen filled with chef's who think they are Gods that have to work with a lowly wait staff as a necessary evil. Joe has a way creating an all for one, one for all environment -- I loved working for him and his family, it really felt like being a part of something.
Truthfully, it really was being a part of something. When you think about some of the best food in it's category, that the entire world has to offer, and I get to eat it regularly -- holy privilege Batman.
I'm making myself yearn for Bartalotta food. East Coast, West Coast -feh! The best is here in the Midwest -- I know it every time I'm eating it -- this is the real deal.
Salivate.
I'll get to the point already, but that was a nice memory trip for me. Alas, great food is like great love, it defies words -- I only wish I could share bites of food over the computer.
The point -- Joe's brother, Paul, is a James Beard award winning chef and he is going to be on Iron Chef!
!!!
I am an absolute Food Network junkie and Alton Brown is one of my favorite geeks ever. What's even more fun is that this is also a bonding point for Rich and I. We did a little happy dance over our two degrees of separation from Alton Brown.
Once again, there is no air date yet but I'm setting my DVR for first run Iron Chef's right away.
I'm such a dork because I get really excited about that show anyway, so I'm a really geeked about seeing the episode. Oh, and he is bringing Chef Adam Siegal from Bartolotta's Lake Park Bistro here in Milwaukee -- so that's another layer of geekedness because I've had both of their cooking before which means we are practically related.
I bet he wins.
posted by kim at
9:20 AM
11 Comments:
I love the food network too! How fun that you loved working with him so much!!
THAT is so AWESOME!!
I feel like a celebrity because you know celebrities...and we're kind of blogging friends, right?
Blogging friends cook for eachother, right?
Tami
i love love love iron chef!! last week the secret ingredient was milk/cream. and i kept coming up with all of these recipes. i should be on it!
i agree that alton ROCKS!! not only is he a great chef, but he is so funny and i always learn so much when we watch his show. my kids love him too.
give us a heads up when your friend is going to be on.
Kate, food network rocks!
Ace of Cakes anyone? Do you watch them too? I swear Baltimore is where all the quaalude's went. Those people are so funny, yet soooo mellow.
Tami, we are practically blogging royalty aren't we. I would definitely feed you :0).
Kay, I bet you are an iron chef.
Alton is hysterical. I got a snob vibe from him on that "next food network star" show and I stopped watching so it wouldn't taint my enjoyment of him.(could have been a fluke, but I'm not taking chances)
I will share the date. I may even have a food party :o).
Umm.. this is a little off topic but it's my brush with fame. No food involved..unless..well nevermind that. Here's the story:
The Bozo show was super famous back in the day. When your kids were born you'd request tickets and they'd arrive when your tykes were about four. My best friend at the time asked me to go with him as he was a bit afraid of seeing the clown up close and in person. I didn't have any clown related fears and jumped at the chance. We went to the studio and it was like walking thru a dreamland. Colorful costumes, lights, cameras, actors, boom mikes, make up, little animals and something I'll never forget, a room of beautiful women in bright feathered headpieces that look like they belonged in a chorous line. I must have been gaping at them because one of them winked at me. I can still feel the actual pain of blushing.
We were brought into the "circus" and seated according to number. Front row! I was ecstatic! The show started and I was lost in the action. Completly gone. Music and dogs jumping thru hoops and pies in the face, even the commercial breaks (It was broadcast live) were a wonder to behold. it was as close to an out of body experience as I've ever felt. And then, after the show was over and Bozo lead us on a march out of the studio, my friends father, who drove us down and watched on the tv in a waiting room touched my on the shoulder and said with a grin, "I saw you on tv, you were picking your nose."
And I felt me feet return to earth with a thud.
Way to go friend's dad -- sheesh.
Now, did this ruin your picking ability for life -- are you all paranoid when you have to go in? Do you play it safe and have kleenex everywhere you go, or how did that go?
I hope you adjusted, but man, harsh, from Bozo fame, to picking lame all in the same hour.
"from Bozo fame, to picking lame"
Clever. You should try out for Wu-Tang.
My personal grooming habits haven't changed much, I just don't do it on live tv anymore.
Can we still be friends if the coolest thing I make is Curly Noodles (Ramen)? Please?
I think I better start loving the Food Network or I'm going to be left out of so many conversations. Do they even allow people like me to watch? :)
They do, Cecily. I recommend starting with "Good Eats" -- that geeky Alton Brown knows how to teach his stuff -- you will use the Alton knowledge. Won't be able to help yourself.
You will be making gourmet ramen in no time.
Lately I've been getting excited over people I know becoming famous or prominent in some way.
We've just had elections, and all of a sudden I know people in the government: one was a next door neighbour, another I taught with years ago, and a third was my friend throughout high school. Now they're all government ministers! And another school friend is attorney general on another island. I'm famous by proxy!
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