This blog has been ten years in the making. I say this because that is how long it has been since I realized that I wanted to become a chef. Ten years ago, as an eager and naive twelve-year-old glued to the television screen during the world pastry cup I realized that nothing could be cooler than making food for a living.
Now as a post-collegiate twenty-two year old I am about to make my dream come true by enrolling in the Italian Culinary Experience, the Italian counterpart to the French Culinary Institute in NYC. I will spend three months taking classes at the institute in SoHo, and then jet off with my classmates to finish our education in the place where it all started: La bella Italia!
I should make this very clear from the beginning, I am not Italian. Yes, my last name ends in a vowel and I've spent the better part of ten years learning all I can about Italian language, culture and food; however, I am a Canadian born, New York raised Jewish American princess. So where did this love for all things Italian come from? Simply put it came from the enthusiastic efforts of one of the best teachers I have ever had, my high school Italian language teacher Signora Maria Longo. Her all-consuming love for everything Italian was contagious and has followed more than one of her students into their adult lives. She inspired me to learn as much as possible not only about her beloved Italy, but about the rest of the world and its myriad cultures.
I have since been on a personal quest to see and experience the world, a journey that has already taken me to some incredible places, allowed me to meet some truly unbelievable people and taste some mind-blowingly good food.
From here, the rest of my journey into the world of food is about to begin and this blog will document it all. I hope along the way to entertain and to inspire, and ultimately to share my love of food and culture with the world.
