Everyone has an origin story. For many chefs, their passion for cooking was imparted early in life through watching their elders. The grandmother who taught her grandchild how to make pasta. The father who taught his son how to create a delicious handmade pizza. Since my parents are both from Louisiana, I’ve always had a love of good food, but my real passion for cooking didn’t start until later in life.
My first love was cars. After high school, and a brief one year stint at Louisiana State University, I moved to Arizona and headed to Automotive Mechanics school, where I graduated with an Associates degree in Automotive, Diesel, and Ford FACT. After working in the field for a number of years, however, I realized that though I loved cars, there was something that wasn’t fulfilling about my career. I worked a number of jobs after leaving the industry and somewhere along the way I started to bake. Cakes, cookies and cheesecakes were my main staples and people thought I was doing a pretty good job. Soon I had neighbors asking me to bake things for birthday parties, baby showers and even just as gifts to give to loved ones.
As my passion for baking grew, so did my love for other types of cooking. Specifically during those years I grew to love sushi. I had a favorite sushi restaurant that my sister and I would frequent once a week. I loved sitting at the sushi bar watching the chefs craft these stunning and delicious delicacies. In 2015, after some VERY persistent nudging from sister, I decided to move to Boston with her where I would attend the Cambridge School of Culinary Arts.
During my time there I fostered a love of all sorts of cuisine. I threw myself into school and I graduated from the Professional Pastry and Professional Culinary Programs, both with honors. As I was completing my programs, I was also working on self-education in all things sushi. My first attempts, while not excellent, taught me a lot. I spent the next months just learning how to cook sushi rice. Every piece of learning about sushi was difficult: where to source ingredients; how to slice the fish; how to season the rice; the history of sushi. It all took months and months of research as well as trial and error. Eventually I began assisting the recreational sushi classes at school, and was able to pick up a private client where my sushi knowledge and skills were put to the test helping to teach others. That saying about "see one, do one, teach one" really made a difference in my abilities. For my final project at school, I chose to create a sushi bridge depicting not only the evolution of modern sushi, but also that of my culinary training.
As part of my education, I had the honor of being a guest chef at EVOO Restaurant one evening, serving up my own menu, which consisted of Cajun fare. While the experience was educational and beyond rewarding, it confirmed that working on the line in a restaurant wasn’t really for me. I find reward within a more personal experience. Talking with people, sharing stories, and laughing are what really do it for me. So with that in mind, I've decided to start blogging about my food (experience), and maybe even blunders, because after all, failures can lead to greatness, or at least to better food.
I hope you will come along with me on this new journey to explore the ins and outs of all types of food, both sweet and savory. Laugh with me through any faux pas, ask questions, comment and pick up some tips and tricks along the way.
