As some of you know, my profession as a Chef is a second career.  Right out of college, I became a financial advisor after travelling in South East Asia for 4 months.

Four years into a financial career, I began to feel that it was not my calling.  Slipping into the office late, putting off my to-do list and not putting my everything into the job were signs that I didn’t like my chosen profession.  My first post was with Merrill Lynch in Century City, followed by some time with Smith Barney across the street.  I made some unforgettable memories, honed my professional skills and got to know a culture completely different than anything I’ve known before or since.

When I began to feel uninspired, I hired a business coach.  We met weekly and talked about my practice at Smith Barney, along with other areas of interest in my life at the time.  One day, he looked at me and said, “Megan, you’re trying to be a painter when you really are a dancer.  There is a reason you’re not loving what you do.  It’s not your passion, cooking is.”  Not much time passed between that conversation and enrolling at the Le Cordon Bleu Culinary Program in Pasadena, CA.

It was liberating and incredibly empowering to look at your life and know that making a complete change was possible.  Even more than that, it was comforting to know when faced with the easy road, I respected myself enough to make a difficult change.  My life was in good hands: my own.

As I began school, my day started with the market (6am PST) and ended with culinary classes (I crawled in bed at midnight most nights).  School was six days a week, work was five days a week, I was living with my boyfriend at the time and very little was left over for friendships and family.  So began my little daily updates of school adventures where I shared a time of tremendous growth.

My father saved each of those emails, along with all the photos I took.  I’ve been told many times to make them into a book, but I’d like to revisit school and that incredible time again on my blog.  Each post will have my old update and todays reflections on that experience and how it has changed today.

I hope you’ll enjoy the reminiscing, recipes and school experiences as much as I will.  Heck, maybe you’ll even feel like you are going to culinary school too.

I’ll post once a week.  See you for the start of poutlry week very soon…

Dancing while Painting,

Gaviota Strawberries (David Karp/Los Angeles Times)

Harry’s Berries is a family run farm located in Oxnard, California.  Their strawberries are legendary and highly sought after in the food industry.  The farm is a mainstay at the Wednesday and Saturday Santa Monica Farmers’ Markets.  Hermosa Beach’s Friday market (my current hometown) has been lucky enough to host Harry’s Berries for two summers now. Their easy to recognize truck anchors the parking lot farmers’ market on 11th street and Valley. Welcome back, old friend. Welcome back.

Check out the video below to get a quick glance at this summer’s crop.

Click here for more info on Harry’s Berries

Now, I lay in wait for Tenerelli Farms Peaches like a cat, behind a houseplant. Juicy peaches, I’m ready!

Chef Meg

I attended the “Visions and Voices” discussion with Michael Pollan (author of “Omnivore’s Dilemma” among other prolific food titles) and Eric Schlosser (author of “Fast Food Nation”).  The event was held at the USC Bovard Auditorium and mostly run by students and widely attended by students along with passionate culinarians and foodies alike from the LA area.  The event sold out within hours of being posted online.

I sat in the upper balcony alongside three USC students.  They all had different majors and were there by choice, not by assignment.

Evan Kleinman, Moderator

The discussion began as Evan Kleinman led the group to three comfy chairs.  Evan sat on the far right, Michael Pollan in the center and Eric Schlosser on the far left.  As they started the discussion, I began to feel incredibly nervous.  The very idea that we were going to pick apart a food system that has gone so disastrously wrong, made me painfully aware that I ate three meals a day and cook many multiples more for others.  The sheer weight of doing right by the world with every meal was crushing.

Much to my relief, the discussion was enlightening and showed all three food icons as everyday people who were extraordinarily educated on the topic of food, but continue to make mistakes too.

For the first time ever, I live tweeted during the show to give people a chance to follow the discussion from twitter.  Over tweeting can be a turn off, but my followers responded with questions and really engaged in the topic. (You can follow me @madebymeg)

Here are some highlights:

What are your thoughts on the new dietary guidelines recently approved by the federal government?

Pollan: For the first time since 1977, the federal government has advised us to eat less, although they were a little tricky with their wording.  They come right out and name vegetables as a type of food to eat more of, but when we get to things we should eat less of, they revert to scientific names instead of saying “eat less meat.”  I was disappointed to see Michelle Obama on the Today show talk about the new guidelines.  She didn’t say “drink less soda,” she said “drink more water.”  These are two very different things. See the interview here: http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/41478508/ns/today-today_people/

Walmart is shown in Food Inc. (in which Pollan and Schlosser starred) as integrating organic foods into their product line.  They have said they want to start sourcing produce locally.  Do you think they will keep that commitment?

Pollan: If their reputation in the past is any indication, no.  Walmart has a history of choosing small producers to supply their national chain and once these producers have amped up their production and facilities to accommodate Walmart’s needs, they ask the producer to reduce their prices by 20%.  If Walmart is your main source of revenue and you’re deeply in debt because of the expansion needed to accommodate them, what are you supposed to do?  Walmart has vowed not to do that the local producers, (press release here: http://walmartstores.com/pressroom/news/8414.aspx ) but I don’t know if that’s possible.

Who’s living better?

Schlosser: The fact that we have companies like Walmart that gross more annually than some states in this union is appalling.  In the 70s Walmart would have been broken up under anti-trust law.  They have more power over the food chain than the federal government.  The existence and power of large companies like Walmart is undemocratic in nature. (This comment was met with applause)

Pollan: It is actually a national security threat that we have such a centralized food system.  Between Walmart, Monsanto and two other major food suppliers, if we had an attack on any of these suppliers, the nation’s food supply would be in danger.  This was briefly considered in 2001 after 9/11 and not really since.

The discussion turned to school lunches.  It was brought to light that the federal government only allows for $0.77 a day to feed each child.  Some cafeteria workers claim that meat packages are labeled as “Grade D but edible.”  Much of the meat contains filler coined in the food industry as “pink slime.”  This is meat filler with all sorts of discarded animal parts and then treated with ammonia.  It can be used to make up 70% of cheap meat products.

Other important points:

Pollan: We could stop world hunger by giving less of our food supply to livestock.  The livestock is bred to feed a largely all meat diet for Americans.  If we integrate more vegetables, reduce our daily meat intake and redistribute the food supply, we could seriously offset the hunger issue.  As a loose estimation, we have about one billion obese people and one billion starving people in the world.

Schlosser: There is an economic divide in the access people have to food.  The wealthy can afford organic and natural foods, along with a personal trainer while the low income masses can really only afford chemically treated food and fast food.  We need equalize this and make good food affordable for the masses.

Do you cook?

Pollan: Yes.  Not well, but I’m working on it.  My interest in food really began with my garden and growing food in my own backyard.

Schlosser: No, I don’t cook.  I boil.  I used to eat a lot of McDonald’s.  I still like the taste of it, but won’t eat there because I don’t want to contribute a single dollar to their operation and bad practices.

Honestly, this truly disappointed me.  I guess I assumed they both cooked.  Who cooks for Schlosser?  Does he have a personal Chef or would I catch him at El Pollo Loco?  (Ahem, you might catch me there too, but I’m not writing books about food).

Hopeful news: Given the change in public health insurance policy, health insurers have a huge interest in keeping the population healthy.  They are huge future supporters of a sustainable food system.

A quick question from the audience about why Jamie Oliver is meeting a lot of pushback on his show, ‘Food Revolution,” from the Los Angeles Unified School District; the resounding answer is because he is accompanied by a camera crew.  LAUSD might be more receptive if the cameras weren’t in tow and the previous seasons town wasn’t make a national fool of on television. Read the LA Times article about Jamie Oliver’s obstacles here: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/dailydish/2010/11/jamie-oliver-turned-down-by-la-school-district.html

Thank you for reading this long post!  I am not a politician, can get facts wrong and hear things incorrectly.  This is a summary of my notes and impression of the event along with a few direct quotes.

I urge everyone to make time for events like this.  Being a part of your community and learning about the world at large is absolutely thrilling.  Thank you to Visions and Voices for providing this forum for free education.

She attended Le Cordon Bleu in Pasadena, CA at night and worked the stock markets during the day. Being a constant on the President’s Honor Roll throughout her training, she was honored to work in a Michelin Star kitchen in Los Angeles, Ortolan, with famed Chef Owner, Christophe Eme. After an exhausting but highly rewarding journey, Meg started her catering business to a warm welcome from friends to former clients.

2.  Ask before you taste anything.  More than likely, the farmers will offer, but be polite.  Sometimes they say no.  Deal with it or go somewhere else.

3.  Don’t act impatient.  These farmers have worked long hours to grow this produce.  City slickers/impatient jerks (which I am known to be at times) don’t impress anyone behind the counter.

4.  Bring small bills and leave your purse in the car.  The market can be filled with the best people in the world, but there’s always a chance your purse will be going home with a stranger.

Beautiful Baby Artichokes.  Click here for a recipe http://www.surfaslosangeles.com/2010/04/sauteed-artichokes-tossed-with-a-mild-lemon-oil

Sauteed with Asparagus Tips, Caramelized Onions in a Sherry Reduction Sauce. Oh Baby!

Remember to store in a brown paper bag in the fridge.  When ready to use, wipe down with a damp paper towel

They can be eaten fresh and are a delish, firm addition to a fruit salad

If you get a chance, roast a medley of these carrots and taste the MONUMENTAL difference between farm fresh carrots and store bought crunch sticks.

They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery… No wonder cherry is the most prevalent artificial flavor.

When in season, only real cherries will do.  Feast your eyes on this year’s gorgeous crop.

Lilac is one of the most beautiful flowers and one of the thirstiest.  If your Lilacs start to droop, just add more water and they’ll perk up in a few hours.

Hello Summer, you sexy thing.  Can’t wait to enjoy all the peaches (if you haven’t tried Tenerelli Farms peaches, you haven’t lived. PS They only exist at the Wednesday market), heirloom Tomatoes and other treasures this season.  Remember, some of the best finds are in small quantities at different farmstands.  Walk slow and make amazing discoveries.

Happy Hunting!

Last night, Season 6 of the Next Food Network Star started.  To be completely upfront, I sent in a tape to be a part of the show and obviously, was not chosen.  I can only assume the producers didn’t think I had the talent and/or wasn’t ready.  I respect that but will audition again!  My desire is to take my career in food from catering to include a TV component.  I study these shows with professional curiosity as well personal interest.  I do hope to be a contestant on the show in the coming years and want to be as prepared for that moment as I can.

All that being said, I have decided to write a post about each episode with my critiques and observations.  It’s going to be like we’re watching the show together.  Apparently, I turn into quite the peanut gallery while the show is on.  Sooo, lucky you!

These posts are not kind but are a critique.  I apologize if you know the contestants, but performance speaks for itself.  Read on for my unsolicited opinions about a show I assume you’re watching because there isn’t a lot of backstory in my post.  I’m not perfect, but I call like I see it.

Season 6 was taped in Los Angeles, CA and begins with 12 finalists.  From Bob Tuschman’s blog last year, it is mentioned that 30+ finalists are culled from thousands of applications and asked to audition one last time at Food Network headquarters in New York.  From that group, we are given the shining faces of this season.  Given the strange and at times, uneasy group last night, I would be interested to see who they actually eliminated.

The premier starts with each contestant arriving separately to the plush Hollywood Hills group home.  The arrivals have the standard, “can’t believe I’m here” look from the finalists, including the arrival of Serena.  She is the Italian attorney beauty with a heavy accent and arrives in a stretch limo.  Hey, if I was making my debut on the Food Network and had that kind of scratch, I would pull up in a limo too.

As the finalists appear on screen we are told about their professional qualifications for being on the show.  I’m surprised by how many of the contestants are not chefs and of the few “full time” chefs, one is unemployed.  What?

The first challenge arrives quickly where they are asked to pull together a dish that represents their personality.  Ingredients of choice: Chicken and potatoes.  Very clever and extremely broad.  A point for the Food Network.  It is stunning to me that with 45 minutes to make the dish, the unemployed chef, Tom, decides to make gnocchi.  Seriously?  You know how long that takes and trying it on national television on this show?  I can see now why you haven’t been working.

Two out of the 12 contestants undercook the chicken.  I used to laugh when my chefs in culinary school would be weary of eating students food – now I see why.  These contestants, Aarti and DAS, dared to serve uncooked chicken to the selection committee.  I hope Bob, Bobby, Susie and Giada were well warned before digging in.  Could you imagine the headlines?  DAS is thrown off by the undercooked poultry and Aarti takes the “show must go on” attitude.  Well done.  Aria wins the challenge and presents herself in a great way.  As Bob Tuschman puts it, Aria has a “relaxed radiance.”

The second challenge is to create a 15 second promo for your Food Network show and serve Wolfgang Puck a 6 course California cuisine lunch in his restaurant, CUT.  (Beverly Hills, CA)  A majority of the contestants looked almost horrified that they will have to be on camera the first day on the job.

This show is called the Next Food Network Star, not Next Great Behind the Scenes Chef who Gains Fame and Garners a Large Paycheck.  This is about being on camera, People!  If being on camera scares the crap out of you, please, please, pack your knives and GO home!  You didn’t wander onto the set of Top Chef or America’s Next Top Model.  You are competing for your own show…on camera!  Many of them said, they’d never been on camera before.  Where did the audition tape come from?  The Food Network producers are not idiots and picked these contestants for a reason.  I’ll give them a little more room to shine, but not much.

The promo taping was a semi disaster on a few fronts.  Paul shouted, DAS almost punched out the camera waving his arms around, Doreen was too shy to convey a message and I don’t think Serena could breath she was so nervous.  Maybe they’re building a ton of drama into the show, but some of this has to be real or the Food Network is going to start looking silly for making bad casting choices.  Aria again stole the show with her easygoing, friendly manner.  Big ups to my girl, Aria.

To finish out the two hour premier, the contestants split into two teams to serve Wolfgang Puck lunch.  It’s important that the contestants are appropriately impressed by getting to meet Puck and cook in his kitchen.  However, it was more surprising how some of them gushed through the whole thing.  Call him Chef, do your best and be professional.  Doreen AND Alexis almost cried through their presentation and Serena practically climbed over the table to hug the man.  You’re Chefs, not hanger ons.

After presenting an undercooked Beignet to the selection committee that Wolfgang cited as a divorce inducing dessert course, Alexis was deemed the weakest link.  He was the first to be eliminated from the show while Doreen and DAS barely made the cut.  Neither of these three did a great job on camera or presented strong dishes.  What is there to love?  I’m hoping for sheer embarrassment factor that these two pull it together.

Overall, it’s really fun to have Giada on the show as a mentor.  A friendly face in the competition and a new way to present her personality.  Also really pleased and surprised with the judges brutal honesty.

Early favorites: Aria, Aarti (humble and sweet Indian gal) and Tom (unemployed chef but has some good personality).

Won’t be around for another few episodes: Doreen, DAS, Dzintra

I’m thrilled we have started a new season of The Next Food Network Star.  There’s new content and the casting for season 7 has commenced.  Maybe next season someone will write critical blog posts about my seemingly no talent performance on this incredibly difficult show.

Click here to get to know the contestants http://www.foodnetwork.com/the-next-food-network-star-season-5-finalists/package/index.html and for a video recap of the show http://www.foodnetwork.com/the-next-food-network-star/index.html

March 16, 2010 Writing is a passion of mine, but only when inspiration strikes.  Sometimes every day, sometimes once a month.  Today, I read a thought provoking article about the LA auditions for the television show, “The Biggest Loser.”

In the article, LA Times writer, Sandy Banks, interviews Biggest Loser hopefuls about their true motivation behind auditioning for such a public show.  What is surprising and sad to me is that many people cited not being able to put together a healthy diet.  As a Chef, it is important to be able to use flavorful ingredients to create satisfying meals.  You shouldn’t feel like cooking and shopping healthy is a sacrifice.

Recently, I received an email from a busy mother of three.  She cited making the same 20 meals over and over again.  Not only was she sick of making them, but was sure her family was sick of eating them.

I always say, skills are like muscles.  The more we use them, the easier the action we are trying to achieve is.  I cook and create food for a living.  Finding new ingredients and methods to prepare them is not as hard for me as everyone else because I do it all the time.  That being said, don’t beat your self up if you’re in a rut at the stove. My daily dinners usually consist of stir fry; basic, healthy and filling meals more often than not, consisting of chicken.  Here is the blueprint for those meals:

1. Grab a packet of chicken breasts at the store, along with two or three complimenting vegetables. Try:
   • Broccoli, Mushrooms and Yellow Onions
   • Spinach and Cherry Tomatoes
   • Butternut Squash, Shallots and Sugar Snap Peas
   • Summer Squash, Red Onions and Heirloom Tomatoes

2. Once home pick out your spices for the chicken and pull off the caps.  Try these:

• • Crushed Chili Flakes, Oregano and Garlic Powder: Italian flavors
  • Cayenne, Nutmeg and Freshly Cracked Black Pepper: Warm Winter Flavors
  • Chipotle Chili Powder, Cumin and Garlic Powder: Mexican Fajita Flavors

1. Now for some cooking: Light your stove and put about 2T of Olive oil in a medium skillet.  Let the oil get hot while you season the chicken breasts.  Using one hand to flip   the chicken, sprinkle the spices on with your dry hand.  Place chicken into hot oil and wash hands thoroughly.
2. Begin to prepare vegetables while the chicken is cooking.
3. Turning the chicken only once, cook until opaque (not pink!) all the way through.  Remove from pan and place on clean plate.
4. Be sure not to burn the pan.  If you feel the juices in the pan are about to burn, add a little water (or chicken stock) to help finish cooking the chicken or vegetables while preserving those yummy flavors cooking on the bottom.
5. Add the vegetables by cooking the hardest ones first, then finishing with the softer.
6. Finish the stirfry by adding the chicken back in along with more of the spices used on the chicken.  Don’t forget kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper.

TIP: For a huge flavor boost, grate a clove or two of peeled garlic with a microplane right into the pan.  Stir gently until the garlic is fragrant.  This is the LAST thing you should add.

Once this becomes a routine, it should take less than 15-20 minutes start to finish.  Switch out the chicken for fish, beef or pork and play with vegetable combinations.

Eating healthy is the road to a long life and isn’t something we should say we don’t know how to do.  Try this stirfry method today and eat well tonight! Here is a link to the LA Times article: http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-banks16-2010mar16,0,5485352.column?page=1&track=rss

What?  I don’t.

If I did “know” you like that, I would probably give you one of my least favorite, heavy knives.  Just like an accountant wouldn’t hand you the pencil from their pocket, it would come from the desk.

Truth is, my knives are a part of me.  We have worked together through thick and thin.  My favorite knife has sent me to the hospital twice and given me more nicks and cuts than I can remember.  Then again, what’s a cut or two between friends?

It sounds strange, but when I lay eyes on the most useful tools of my trade, I can’t help but swell with pride.  There are sharper, more stylish knives than mine, but these are just that, they’re mine.

Each time I cut into something, I know exactly what my knife will do, how to move it, when to proceed with caution and when to forge ahead with “Top Chef” speed.  I’ve made mistakes, but who hasn’t?

Read my rules of the road on how to work your knives and boost your confidence in the kitchen.

1. Understanding how a knife works is vital to making it work for you.  Imagine putting a power drill up to a screw and not turning it on.  Nothing happens or even worse it takes forever.  Examples:  A chef’s knife works on a rocking motion.  Serrated knife works when you move it back and forth like a saw on bread, cakes, etc.  A boning knife works when you slide it through the meat, fish or protein.
2. A knife is equally a friend and an enemy.  Keep your friends close and your enemies closer.  Have the proper fear of your knife not to swing it around or underestimate the damage it can do.
3. Never try to catch a falling knife.  When it’s headed in any direction on it’s own, jump out of the way as soon as possible.  A crooked tip or damaged knife is a small price to pay to keep your fingers and toes.
4. Let others know you are moving around with a knife.  Don’t speed across the kitchen with even one other person in it without saying, “knife” when you are behind or out of sight and on the move.
5. Get your knife ready for the party.  Just like you get to dolled up and have all the proper tools to head out on the town, your knife likes that too.  Their idea of getting ready is being properly sharpened.  Use your steel or head to the cutlery shop for a sharpening.
6. The sharper your knife, the less you’ll cry.  (There is a book by that title too).  Sharp knives are the best knives to be cut by.  Think of the difference of heading into surgery with a razor sharp scalpel or a dull knife – which would hurt more and take longer to heal from?  Some cuts are inevitable, no matter how careful you are.  Sharpen your knives to lessen the likelihood of a knife slip, forceful erratic motions to get it to work and to make sure it will leave a smaller scar.

All that said, love your knives and they’ll love you back.  Take pride and build your confidence with these “sharks” of the kitchen.  Something I like to remember is: if you aren’t handling your knife, it’s handling you.

Good luck and enjoy your knives.  Just don’t ask to borrow one of mine.

Sharp Knives and Safe Cooking,

I couldn’t believe it when my publicist told me a producer for ABC Channel 13 Action news at 9am, was interested in having me on the show. Pushing my cart through the produce section at my local supermarket, I was that obnoxious LA girl with an earpiece in, talking to my publicist. That does sound obnoxious doesn’t it?

The truth is, it was a dream come true. I had made the leap, as a business owner, to invest in hiring a publicist and it landed me a prime spot in the nation’s #26 market: Las Vegas. “We’ll have to fly out the morning of, do the show and turn around. When works for you?” she says. (Julia Friedman of Maize Marketing) “Um, yeah. Ready whenever you are!”

After we hung up, I gave this some thought. I don’t have any live TV experience. I wasn’t sure what I would say and most of all, I was terrified that it would end up a YouTube moment. You might say I wasn’t really ready.

Truth is, if I turned down half the things I wasn’t ready for, I’d still be dreading each day and working a job I hated. Taking leaps and stretching my imagination about what I can possibly accomplish and stomach has made me who I am today.

Even though I booked the flight myself, it was a nasty surprise to see this scene that morning. Three in the dang morning!

After dragging my sorry supposed-to-be-camera-ready buns to the airport, I was happy to see my publicist looking bright eyed and already on email. I was about three shots of espresso away from looking normal. I found a Starbucks open at 4:45 in the morning and of course, it was already packed with weary travelers. I calmed my nerves by thinking about the places they were headed that morning. On the other side of this flight, I had better look good, speak clearly and make television history – well, maybe not the history part.

We arrived at the studio a touch early, which always better than late. The place was buzzing with production assistants, 20 televisions blaring content from other stations and the anchors finishing up make-up. Other guests arrived with their publicists in tow and we all eyed each other. Eventually, professional courtesy drove us to shake hands and inquire about each others spot on the show. The on-air guests were nervous and going over their content. I paced the halls with my notes and tried to concentrate.

Knowing that certain things are inevitable, time marched forward, whether I was ready or not. I always keep in mind what is in the future – the good things, and the bad. I live my experiences in the present knowing that they will pass, which makes the bad ones fly by and the good ones easy to cherish.

“Meg, you’re on in 5. Please come to the sound stage.”

My segment started with the producer counting us in, like I had always imagined. The anchor began to speak and before I get nervous, she led me through our talk and it was over. 4 minutes went by in a FLASH. After it was over she hopped back on her anchor chair and I began to pack my things.

Eleven long hours of travel and 4 minutes on air. I wish I could tell you that I was painfully nervous. I wasn’t. A long time ago, I took a small truth to heart. Public speaking is like talking to a group of friends. They all truly want to hear what you have to say and want you to deliver it well. No one feels comfortable watching a fumbling anchor or a stuttering expert. Relax, take a breath and take it for what it is.

I’ll never forget that day. It was my first live news segment and hopefully, not my last. Check out the clip at www.meghall.com/press-a-video. Enjoy!