AC Food & Wine Festival: Surprise, Surprise, Surprise!

Hey! I got my Gomer Pyle on last night here at the AC Food & Wine Festival and surprised a packed house of over 700 VIPs at Harrah's for dinner! I couldn't tell you about the planning stages here because it was supposed to be a secret, but early yesterday when I went to the venue to check on my recipe and ingredients, people started to ask me why I was there and I had to just answer very vaguely. It was funny and I really just wanted to burst and say "Oki'mhereplanningasurprise!", all in one breath. It was in a huge ballroom and as soon as I stepped inside, I realized just how big the crowd was going to be ... That's not even a good picture to represent the span of the room, but the room was long and every table was already set and ready to go at around 2PM. There was a set menu for the VIP diners, but my part was to interrupt between courses and prepare a recipe for them. When we were planing the surprise, my first question was ... "Do, they get to eat it?" and to my surprise, the planners said "That's up to you". I quickly said that of course I want them to try what I'm making, that would be crazy to cook something in front of you with no tv screen between us and when I'm done I just pack up and go ... taking my food with me lol. So, I also made sure my recipe was easy to prep for 700+ food people and small so they could easily pass them to the tables. I decided on my Cod Fish Puppies ... They mass produced them catering-style and planned to do a quick run in some heat before they served them with a Mango Habanero Sauce recipe I provided. I usually serve the puppies with an avocado mash, but this was for a large group and 1. no one wants to break down all those avocados, I try to take it easy on the kitchen at events like this because they are already stretched thin. And, 2. Avocado just doesn't hold up well in catering conditions. Can you imagine dolloping 700 trays with avocado mash only to look at the first one and realize the time it took to finish allowed for the oxidation and color change to start? Only so much lime I'm willing to squirt on my avocado to keep it pretty, before it ruins the flavor profile. I am so proud of putting my catering hat on for all events now. I had no idea years ago when I began catering that it was training me for moments like these. Here are the chefs that brought it all together ... That's Chef Robert and Chef David, both were so nice and actually had little tasting plates ready for me when I arrived to check the flavor and texture of my puppies. They were perfect and I was very happy they didn't dial back the heat on the habaneros. For 700+ servings they used 25 habaneros! That may not seem like much, but imagine just putting a whole, un-chopped habanero in a pot of soup will spice up the whole thing ... to chop them down and add to a sauce, the heat is crazy! Crazy good, I hoped. :-) Happy the chefs liked it and so did the committee with me that was escorting me around. All I had to do was wait for the attendees of the VIP dinner!

On the way out of the dining room is when I got stopped with all the curious questions and it's partly my fault for almost blowing my cover for the VIP event that night, but there were some neat back drops set up in the hallway and I wanted to take a few pictures in front of them ...The scale was large, but the mix of colors and the proper depth in some of the backdrops made me feel like Alice in Wonderland, after her first sip of "poison". :-) Crazy right? I don't know if it's me, but it looks like I'm actually in the kitchen! The artist didn't sign a name and none of the planners with me knew who did them, but I just think they are so neat. Here's another one ...It was up pretty high, so I played along with it and tip-toed to act like I was trying to see over the stove. These are in the event registration hallway at Harrah's if you are here and feel the urge to take some kooky photos. I didn't see one person using them, but I just loved them! After taking the pictures and almost blowing my cover, I headed back to my room to get ready for the rest of the day and ran into this sign, take a look! It says "Saturday, July 31 The pool and gym will be closing for a private event." Wooohoooo! That's my Sold out Soiree! Sunset, Sliders and Spirits on the rooftop pool at Caesar's! Can't wait to see you there tonight if you have plans to attend! Here are a couple of pics from the VIP event last night ...It was packed! Sorry it's a bit blurry. I had a great time and thanks to everyone that came up and said hi! Also a big thanks to Sandra Lee, she had a surprise visit to a VIP dinner right before mine and left plenty of her cocktail ingredients, so I begged the kitchen to shake up a pitcher for us and we all enjoyed a sip back stage ... I don't know what it's called, but it had me at Goldschlager and Grand Marnier :-). Thanks Sandy!

Afterwards I went to hang out at some of the after parties and ran into 2 of my favorite people ...Can you see them? It's the Neely's! Also if you look close (sorry about the blurs), on the left you can see Cooking Channel host Darryl Robinson of Drink Up! and on the right you can see Roger Mooking, host of Everyday Exotic on Cooking Channel. Darryl and I worked together on NFNS: After Party and he knows his drinks! Really cool guy and I just met Roger the other night at the kick off party, but he escaped before I could get a pic. Everyone else in the picture are co-workers in our PR/Marketing department. They shine up the engine and make it run! Here's me and my girl! Ms. Gina Neely. I so wished she lived closer to me or vice versa, she's a ball of fun and energy. I'm often mistaken for her and end up sending her texts like "someone just mistook me for you while I was with my boyfriend, so just in case people think you are cheating on Pat, it's really me and my guy" lol. Too funny. They have a brunch thing going on today at noon and looking at the time, I need to hurry up with this, so I can head over to that! Hope you enjoyed the sharing! If you are here and checking my blog between sips and bites, can't wait to bump into you. Please say hi!

Oh wait ... one more thing ... did you know Caesar knew how to fry ... in a pan ... with a spatula??? Totally wrong ... lol. I feel like a person watching Mad Men pointing out all the era errors ... say that fast.

AC Food & Wine Festival; NFNS Kick Off Party!

Hey! Last night was the kick off party for the AC Food & Wine Festival and it was all about the finalists on The Next Food Network Star. Look at this silly guy striking a model pose ...
It's Brad! I caught this actually as we were all leaving. I often call him "Spike a-like" because he looks like Chef Spike Mendelsohn's doppelganger. Brad is very cool about it, so that's nice he can take a silly joke. I tend to be silly. Where's the hat right? Well, he wasn't wearing it, but it was so windy last night, even if he had it on, it would've blown off. The party was at the Chelsea Hotel on the 5th floor pool level. So it was outdoors and because the rain blew through town earlier, it was cool and breezy! Hope the weather holds up the whole weekend. I didn't run into everyone, but plenty of NFNS finalists were there ... That's Herb, he is from Elizabeth, NJ so plenty of his friends and family were there, pretty neat. Then I ran into two very important ladies ...
That's last season's winner, Melissa D'Arabian! Next to her is Moira, she's our event planner. So, Moira is the person that helped bring Sunset, Spirits and Sliders together for me. I can't wait for Saturday night! I actually met some people last night that have tickets, can't wait! Did I already say that? :-) Take a look at a bigger than life NFNS finalist ...
It's Biiiiig Tom Pizzica! He is bigger than life and every time I caught a glimpse of him he was having a good time, he draws a crowd! He is so nice, what a nice bunch they all are! I left there and spent a couple of hours at the table games in Caesar's. I came up even ... plus $1. :-)

Well, that's it. I have some work to do in the next hour or so, then I think I'm gonna head over to Guy's Cheesesteak Battle tonight. If you are here and you catch me walking, stop me and say hi! I'm here for the food, the wine and food people ... can't wait to meet ya!

Out of the frying pan, into the shower ...

Hey there! Well, I just returned from 2 family reunions in both North and South Carolina. Boy oh boy, was it hot!!Can you see that? The car registered the outdoor temp at 104 degrees! I mean it was hot! Ever go somewhere so hot that you lose your appetite? That was the effect for most of the first day down in South Carolina, then we made a trip to a place I talked about on The Best Thing I Ever Ate: Hometown Favorites ...It's Duke's BBQ in Orangeburg, SC. I mentioned it on the show for it's legendary pork hash. It is just unbelievably good. Add to that the best fried chicken and what we call "cracklin'", but my guy was happy to call "chicharrones" ... it was a great kick off meal for my visit down south!
That's the hash ladled all over my rice. I also had more chicken after I cleared the mound. A guy came over from the other side of the dining room and said he saw me talk about coming home and making the stop at Duke's on The Best Thing I Ever Ate. He said it was nice to see I was telling the truth. I was and will carry on my dad's tradition for years to come, it has become my tradition. We left there and headed back to the room, but first made a stop at the gas station and that's when I saw something that made me feel like ... "Ok, it's hot, I had Duke's ... what else can make me feel like I'm in the south?" ...
OMG!!!! WORRRRRRDDDD UPPPPP like Cameo!!! RED VELVET Twinkie-like cakes!!!!! I'd just stuffed my face full of Duke's so I thought it best to just let a picture say a thousand pounds and leave it on the shelf. It was hard. A squeeze test proved them to be fluffy and moist. I felt like a bread aisle bandit. I have to look into getting some of those shipped up north when I get back to fighting weight lol. We did some family stuff with the South Carolina fam, then hopped on the highway and headed north. This was a trip we made almost every summer growing up because my parents would drop us off at the grandparents' so they could do all the moving business from city to city. When they came to pick us up after dropping us off a month or so earlier, we would head towards our new home. It was a pattern for many years, I'm sure military families know the drill. Here was the best part of the drive from South Carolina to North Carolina ...South of the Border! Pedro and his funny signs were the best entertainment as a back-seat rider growing up and as an adult, it was just as exciting. I'm pretty corny that way. We didn't stop, but that's ok ... I remember one time growing up begging my parents and they finally stopped there. Great marketing, I bet many parents get the same whining from their kids while making the drive. Hard to turn down. We drove during the day and it was still verrrry hot so when we got to my grandma's house, the one I always talk about on Cooking for Real, she had her version of water sitting on the counter ... It's her famous pound cake! I did a version of it on Cooking for Real called Apple Pound Cake. She always has something baked on the counter or is in the process of baking it. No joke and it was cool for my boyfriend to see what I'd been braggin' about to be true. She had no idea we were coming, I made it a surprise because she thought I was just doing the family reunion in South Carolina. I had a slice of her famous pound cake and headed off to sleep because the next day was the big breakfast day. Of course I asked if I could help and she said "NO, Me and Aunt Honeybunch have it all worked out!". To which my guy replied, "You have an aunt named "Honeybunch"? Yes, I do. And I also have an uncle we call "Uncle Bunky" ... one time on a holiday episode of Cooking for Real I said he was my drunk uncle, it was a joke, but he took it in stride. My late-grand-dad's brother actually calls me a "Wine-o" because all of my drinks involve alcohol. Lol, too cute. Anyway, my grandma is great she actually gets offended if you show up and you aren't hungry. The next morning a guest showed up to visit and was asked if he was hungry, when he said "no" the whole family erupted into a loud uproar and grandma promptly made a large plate of grits, eggs, biscuits, sausage, gravy and more! Too funny. He had no idea saying he wasn't hungry was the wrong thing to say. I'd show you his picture, but I'm trying to protect the innocent. Just know the look on his face is priceless when he gets his over loaded plate! I tried to get my grandma to take a picture, but she is quite camera shy, so I bargained and she gave me her arm in the stove shot ...

That' a southern breakfast in the making, then I took my left hand and lifted a lid to reveal the biggest pot of grits I've ever seen in a home kitchen!
Hard to tell the depth and width, but it was biiiiig! I just ate and ate and ate. It felt so good to be home. I couldn't stay for the entire time of either family reunions because they were scheduled at the same time, but I made the most of it and visited some of the old stomping grounds in North Carolina just like in South Carolina. Ever hear of penny candy stores? Well, I don't think I'm old enough to live through that era, but we had one around the corner from my grandma's house that was more like a 25 cent candy store. My grandma would give us a handful of change and we'd walk around the corner to this store and give it to the owner, he'd let us grab into a big bowl of candy and everything we grabbed was ours. As a kid the walk seemed like a mile, as an adult ... it was just around the corner...
My cousin Monique, said that it isn't always opened now and he doesn't do candy anymore :-( ... It was great seeing it again though. These are things you miss as a military brat. There are no frames of reference from my youth around me because my youth was all over the place. I wonder what it must feel like to live where you grew up. Lucky you, but then again lucky me, eh? We should all make good out of what is given. The next day we headed back up north for home, but not before some airport security comedy. It had me laughing at 6AM! Ok, so my grandma has a pie she is famous for and she never gives out the recipe. Even if she gives it to me, out of respect, I'll modify it so her real one isn't available. Why? Well, because she truly is the cake and pie lady in town and even a stranger/friend of a family member got on the phone to say hi to me, then had the nerve to ask me to ask my grandma for the recipe, thinking she'd give it to me, then I'd pass it on to her. Never! Is she crazy? lol ... so anyway, grandma made one for me to take home and covered it in aluminum foil. Here's where the joke starts ... As I put it on the belt to go through the X-Ray at the airport security line the TSA agent looked at it and said "What is that?". I said, "My grandma's pie, you aren't gonna take that from me are you?" but really I said it like "The Hope Diamond. You don't want to fight for it do you?" (with a smile of course, I was joking, but very serious). Then he replied with the funniest thing ever. He said very matter of factly "Well, it may be okay, but just incase I may have to run a EEEE -AYYY -TEEE test on it." I took a second and said "A whaaa?" and as soon as I'd said it, I realized he'd spelled the word "EAT" lol!! I busted out laughing so loud and he was actually very surprised I got it. He said many people don't get it when he says that. Ummm probably because the tense feeling at security, I mean, no shoes, no liquids over 3 ounces, etc. (BTW, unrelated, but not ... check www.3floz.com) Anyway, I giggled at the "E.A.T. Test" line all morning and even typing it now, brings a smile to my face. TSA industry humor, you heard it here first. Teeheehee ... Here's my secret pie ready to board a flight to LGA ...So that was the frying pan heat of the south ...
This is the shower that is Atlantic City!

I just got here this afternoon and I'm all ready for the AC Food & Wine Festival!! As usual. I'll do my best to take pics and share. If you are here, please say hi ... don't be shy. Someone said hi on the way out of a long elevator ride and I said while the door was closing, "why didn't you say hi earlier? We could've been talking!" ... The door closed before I could hear a reply :-(. Also if you are still on the way, the weather should clear up to a less humid 80. Bring a jacket though if you plan to hang out in the casinos, I found out on my visit a couple of weeks ago that the temp inside is pretty frigid! Gotta keep the gamblers awake!

Ok, check in for pictures and stories. Tonight is a kick-off party and the Next Food Network Star finalist's are the hosts! I'll let you know how it goes!

Party time again!

Happy weekend! Hope you have the weekend off or at least some "you" time carved out :-). Don't forget the second episode of Next Food Network Star: After Party on Cooking Channel airs Sunday night! Last week we talked to Brianna, she was the self-proclaimed "diva" that didn't make the cut. Bob got a chance to tell her what went wrong and she got a chance to explain herself a bit. We gave her a taste of Kelsey's family recipe for tuna casserole because she expressed such disdain for it on her final episode and guess what??? She loved it! I did too and actually ate the crumb topping off of mine before the show was over and took the rest back to the room to finish.

Here we are in the green room just after taping the show ...
So this week, one more will meet their fate and just after they are sent packing on NFNS on Food Network, tune into us over at NFNS: After Party on Cooking Channel @ 10PM. You'll never guess who get's the boot this weekend! All I can say is, it's very lively and interesting conversation and our guest again this time is Bob Tuschman. Bob gave up some good stuff last week when he said one of the deliberations lasted into the wee hours of the morning and ended in tears. Yes, tears! So, don't think these are flippant decisions here, they are truly looking for the Next Food Network Star, and it isn't easy. Over on our show, we have the easy job of picking up the pieces and finding the story behind the story. Hope you tune in this week!

Sunday night! 10PM on Cooking Channel! See you there!

Philly flurry!

Hey! Almost to the weekend! I just got back from Philadelphia, I was there less than 24 hours. Pretty fast trip through the city, but I hit all the important places. Starting with my fave cheesesteak spot Max's. Over the years I've been to many places, before and after Max's, but this is the one for me! My favorite guy wasn't there last night making them, but it was still just as tasty.That's my lap-plate lol. I tore into it and didn't come up for air until a few bites were left and I was stuffed. I just knew I would do some walking last night to compensate, but there was no gym at my hotel and I didn't want to walk that late in the dark. So, that's what I get ... a double walk tomorrow in the heat! I don't mind. I actually miss it. I think it's the thinking time I miss from gardening last year. Very calming. So anyway, I got up this morning to hang out with Bill and the crew over at The 10! Show ...

Here are some photos from the segment ...
The audience was just to the left of this and the other host, Luann came in for a bite.
Before I left, I asked the audience if they would take a picture for my blog and they all yelled and that's when I leaned in for this!

Fun ... The audience was so cool and got there early while we were still setting up so I got a chance to say hi to a few people.Then I headed just around the corner to WDAS FM and chatted with Patty Jackson and special guest on the phone ... Aaron McCargo Jr.! He is so funny and Patty has been on his show before so he told me yesterday I'd have fun with her and he was right! I'm waiting on pictures from her because I forgot to take them. She also did a video, so I'll post that when she sends the link! Ok, take care and check ACFoodandWine.com if you got inspired and want to hang out in Atlantic City with us next week!

PA keeps pullin' me back in!

Hey there! Let me start by saying how HOT it is in NYC! I just started walking in the mornings to get some exercise and geeeeewhiiiiz!!! 84 degrees at like 10AM! Even on the shady side of the street, it's pretty bad. So, imagine how excited I was to find out a trip out of town was in order, not 2 days after I returned from Pittsburgh!? Even though I'm just headed down to Philadelphia, I was too excited to check the weather and find out the temperature is about 4 degrees less there ... I'll take what I can get!!

If you are in the Philly viewing and listening area, hope you can check me out tomorrow. With the Atlantic City Food & Wine Festival just over a week away, I'm headed to Philly to spread the word and some of my recipes on local media.

First stop tomorrow morning is NBC 10 for a quick live thing, then a taped interview. I don't know the exact air time, but according to my itinerary I just got, looks like a live shot at 915AM. Then, we'll tape a segment at 10AM to air later in the morning or day. I'm making my Flank Steak Fajitas, Mexican Street Corn and every morning should start with a Watermelon Mojito, right? Right ... looks like the NBC apple doesn't fall too far from the Kathie Lee and Hoda tree, eh? Nice to do a cocktail in the morning!

Next, I'll head over to WDAS-FM to chat with Patty Jackson, the city's #1 radio host. She's a foodie and has been on Aaron Mc Cargo's show a couple of times, so I can't wait to chat with her! I think that interview is around 11 or noon. I'll update more when I know. This came together pretty fast, so I don't have all the details. What I DO know is tonight when my train gets to Philly, I'm taking a trip to my fave cheesesteak spot, Max's Steaks on North Broad and Erie ...

... then promptly getting on the treadmill at the hotel tonight! Hope you catch me in Philly!!

NFNS After Party tonight at 10PM11PM!

*I originally thought I was wrong, but I guess I was right! The show starts at 11PM. Hope you enjoy!

Hey there! Next Food Network Star: After Party airs tonight at 10PM 11PM on Cooking Channel right after Next Food Network Star ends on the Food Network. In previous posts I mentioned the first episode starting an hour later, but checking the schedule today I noticed what was initially the case is no longer, so I was wrong. Hope you catch the show! Tonight's NFNS may end surprisingly for you, so flip on over to Cooking Channel right after the show to see us chit chat with the finalist that didn't make it. Hope you enjoy the show!!

From Party to After Party!

Hey there! Well, I just finished up at the Giant Eagle Robinson Market District and I had such a good time! First of all, the store was CRAAAAZYYY stocked! I'm talkin' dry aged beef for sale, rattlesnake, 13 year old blueberry vinegar, a gelato stand with serious combinations, a pizza stand, salad bar, herbs you clip from the plant and a wide selection of cheese and huuuuuge cheese wheels, for starters. I actually almost cried a bit from being overwhelmed in the cheese department. No joke, I felt more water welling up in my eyes than my lids could hold and high-tailed it outta there! Here are some pics, then I'll tell you about the After Party on Cooking Channel ...
That's the Indian food station in the food court-like area. There was fresh naan and I had some chicken spiced so perfectly! Then I walked on over to the meat department. Click on this pic to get detail because the types of burger patties in the window are just totally crazy!
Then I bumped into this below and almost had a heart attack!!!!
Can you imagine buying dry aged steaks in a grocery store? Well, Giant Eagle imagined it and made it happen! I moved to the cheese department next, but was so caught up and trying to not cry and embarrass myself, that I didn't even get a picture. I really love cheese. I don't think I've ever tasted a cheese I didn't like. They have over 140 different types of cheese there ... that is totally bananas! Then look at what I bumped into!!!
VIVA TOWELS!!! YAAAAAAY!! Look at 'em all lined up and ready to break you from your addiction to quilts lol. I promise if you try them, you'll wonder where Viva's been all your life. Then I headed to the cooking demonstration stage to get to work, here's the culinary staff that helped out ...

That's Chef Luke there on the far left, he assisted me during my cooking demonstration and we had a great time cooking and laughing while sharing some food. I really can't say thanks enough to the many people I met on the staff. If you are in the area, I'd say a visit should be in your future. My parents live about an hour away and actually travel to the city to shop there. If you stop by the olive oil and vinegar department, please give a warm hello to "Jerzy". I don't know if that's his real name, but it's on his name tag and he's a total gem. You can tell from just a quick chat he knows not only oils and vinegars, but good food as well. Smart guy and someone I wish I could talk to for hours. He let me taste a mix of lemon oil and blueberry vinegar that was so good I'm happy to say it's in my luggage right now waiting on a trip back to Brooklyn. :-)So give him a hug for me if you ever stop by.

Now for the After Party ...
That's the team! Remember I told you a few weeks back about taping a new show for Cooking Channel? Well, it starts tomorrow night - - late. It is so worth staying up for though and I'll be up late watching it right with you if you do! I haven't seen the final cut and wonder what parts made the show because there were some pretty good moments. The show is called Next Food Networks Star: After Party and it's just that. A total party! We have a drinks, a bartender and the set looks like a neat little lounge. Adam Gertler, Kelsey Nixon and I also welcome a judge from NFNS ...
Yaaay Bob Tuschman! Totally weird to interview your boss, but I actually enjoyed it as a viewer of the show that had viewer-minded questions. And of course, the finalist that doesn't make the cut on Sunday night's show joins us at the party to dish and discuss what may have gone wrong. Wish I could tell you who it is!!! It was a shocker when I watched the episode weeks ago while preparing to tape the show. We interview that person and also ask Bob some behind the scenes questions about the elimination process. Here's the commercial if you haven't caught it yet. This is good stuff if you are really in to NFNS. I've watched from season one and always wished there was a show like this or at least a show that catches up with the contestants years later for an update. So I hope you catch it! It airs tomorrow at 11PM, an hour after NFNS ends. I know ... long wait, but it's a programming thing for this week only, but next week the show moves down to 10PM, right after NFNS ends on Food Network.

Ok, hope you like the show! We taped them weeks ago, so I can't really have you submit questions you may have for the finalists, but I hope we covered all the ground. Kelsey, Adam and I all watch the show and of course they were both contestants on a previous season, so we did our best to drop the "host" curtain to reveal our true interests. Pretty good stuff and I can't wait to see it along with you! Let me know what you think!

P.S. If you are still trying to figure out if you have Cooking Channel or where it is on your dial, go to the home page and in the right column is a green button that says "Learn How" click that and see if you can get closer to the answer. Ok, hope you enjoy the show!!!

I'm in Pittsburgh with Giant Eagle, but first ...

Hey there! I'm still here in Pittsburgh and the big day is tomorrow with Giant Eagle's Robinson Market District. Seated tickets are sold out, but other FREE tickets are available! Come on out and join the fun. I have an easy summer menu planned and I plan to dish and dish while I'm Cooking for Real :-). Can't wait to meet ya!

But first ...

I visited with Brenda and the crew at KDKA- Pittsburgh Today Live this morning and served up my Summer Corn Salad. It is truly my new fave for summer. Here's Karla, a chef at Giant Eagle and I after my segment...

She helped me prep the recipe and made the set look pretty with cookies from the Giant Eagle Bakery. You can check the video of the interview at KDKA's Video Page.

Then, I had lunch courtesy of the Le Cordon Bleu in Pittsburgh and some of the students. In my normal foodie fashion, I was walking the streets of downtown Pittsburgh yesterday looking for a bite and ran into a group of culinary students taking a break outside a building. I asked, where's the diner, because the guys at the hotel said there was one close by, but I hadn't run into it yet. Anyway, they said it was on the 18th floor. I thought to myself this isn't the diner the hotel mentioned for sure, but people in chef coats can't steer ya wrong ... and I was right! I headed in, dined at the cafeteria portion of a large room and then a chef approached me and began talking to me like he knew me. But ... he didn't lol ... He actually thought I was someone that came to the cafeteria often and even asked me how the wedding was. All in the first sentence or so. So, I admitted I wasn't her, but said that maybe I look familiar? And he agreed. I fessed up and told him I worked for Food Network and was happy to eat food prepped by his students. The chef invited me back today for lunch in the separate restaurant area and I never say no to food so ...
Classy, eh? The restaurant is fully staffed by students, so even the students attending for hospitality work the check-in desk and wait tables. Here's the menu ...
At first I was going to get the risotto, but the candied pecans in the salad got me! I also decided the seafood trilogy wouldn't hurt. Then I moved on to the mains and ordered the wild mushroom tortellini to make up for missing the mushrooms in the risotto that I didn't order. I also ordered a drink and forgot the name, but it was GOOOOOOOOOD!!! It had grenadine and sierra mist and oranges ... I think something else, but can't remember. For dessert I ordered a really pretty panna cotta, berries and cake combo topped with mint foam. Take a look ...
That's a cute little stress-squeeze toy in the shape of a chef hat there. I pocketed it, not that I'm stressed though. Just a cute way to remember the trip. I must say, that drink was tasty and refreshing. Then the salad ..
Dressing was great and I'm a sucker for candied pecans. I forgot to tell you about the bread ...
That's a pretzel knot, wheat bread with sunflower seeds and focaccia bread. They were served with a roasted pepper hummus, herbed olive oil and honey butter. I really was trying to take a bite of everything.
That's my seafood trio. The oyster in the center was my fave, I could've downed about 20 of them!
My mushroom and tofu tortellini and roasted veggies were yummy. I love when people roast veggies and they still have crunch, perfect! And then dessert ...

A special thank you to all the students and the head chef as well as the dean and corporate chef I met. Everyone was so nice and it was great to chat with the chefs of tomorrow. Much success guys n gals! I don't say break a leg for good luck, I say ... "Break a cream sauce!" :-)

Ok, see you in Pittsburgh tomorrow!