Wow, it’s been nearly a month since my last post…guess it’s time to renew my vow to be more consistent in that realm!  Thanks to those of you who may have been checking and have had the patience to wait things out.

I really don’t know where this summer has gone!  Am I the only one that thinks that Memorial Day weekend was only a few weeks ago?

Although I haven’t been making any recent blog posts I have been busy with various side projects outside of my standard cooking classes at 700 Kitchen Cooking School. 

Last month I headed to Atlanta over a weekend to go to an open casting call for the sixth season of  “Next Food Network Star”….the Food Network’s reality competition show where people compete for an opportunity to have their own cooking show.  This was my third attempt….three years ago I sent in a video (along with probably about a million other people).  Do you have any idea how hard it is to do the following in three minutes: 1) cook something from start to finish  2) express your “culinary point of view” 3) Express your knowledge of food and cooking  4) let your personality show through?????   We’re talking all of that in three freaking minutes!!!  That little project took about 10 hours, the assistance of three very good and patient friends (and a friend of a friend with experience in video sound work) and the result…..nothing! 

Last year I decided if I could get myself IN FRONT of the casting directors then I might have a better chance.  I always seem to do better in person.   I got up at the crack of dawn to drive up to Charleston.  The casting call started at 10am and I was the second one in line at 8am.  So far, so good I thought…..they started taking us for interviews at 9:15.  The first question was “Why should you have a show on the Food Network” and the second was “Tell us about your family?”  Why a show on the Food Network?  Sure, that’s a sensible question.  But the second one….What??  Excuse me….what does that have to do with my knowledge and experience with food?  Did I accidentally end up in a casting call for Dr. Phil or is this really for the Food Network?  Well, I gave some hum-drum boring LITERAL answer like, “I’m single and my family is all out in California”.  Yeah, like that’s going to produce the drama they want on these reality shows!  What was I thinking???  That’s not what they want to hear…they want something like: “I grew up cooking at my grannie’s knee and after she died I went into a deep funk unable to socialize until she showed up in my dreams and told me to get in the kitchen and cook….now whenever I cook I’m guided by her ghost who instinctively tells me what I need to do!”

Predictably, the answer was  “Ok, thanks…we’ll be taking a look at applications tonight and then doing second calls tomorrow for the ones we’re interested in” .  I drove home to Savannah more frustrated than I was after spending 10 hours making that three-minute video.   When I didn’t get a call the next day I consoled myself by thinking that it was because they liked me soo much that they didn’t want to risk having me disqualified in the competition….they wanted to make sure I had a show!  One month passed….two, then three…ok, maybe they weren’t waiting to give me my own show.

Skip ahead to summer 2009.  A friend sends me an email letting me know that the open casting call will be in Atlanta in August.  I planned to be there – give it one more shot.  At least this year I knew what to expect.  Heck, I even got the application done 48 hours in advance rather than the all-nighter I pulled last year filling out the 11-page questionaire asking questions like “If you were an ingredient, what would it be and why?”….you know, standard things that we all ponder at night when we’re unable to sleep.  I was ready….application with supporting documents in hand….wardrobe consultation done with at least three friends before deciding what to wear, and a much more clearly defined “culinary point of view” in mind. 

I drove to Atlanta the night before so I could be there early in the morning.  It was sure to be a much bigger crowd this year and I didn’t want to be in line all day long.   I made good use of the 3 1/2 hour drive by practicing my response to “Why you and a show on the Food Network?”.  I was going to be prepared….I was going to nail the answers, and just as important….I needed something to do to keep me awake since the radio in my car doesn’t work!   If you ever drive I-16 between Savannah and Macon you too will simply make up questions and answers to help pass the time….It really is THAT BORING!   When I arrived at 8am there were already about 40 people in the room.  I talked to a few of the people around me….asked if they were in the industry or what they did.    Most responses were something along the lines  of “oh I just like to cook and my co-workers thought this is something I should do…I’m just doing it on a whim”. 

“Hmm…”  I couldn’t  help but wonder “Is she was going to share some sort of sappy family story that is going to bring the casting directors to tears and declare that she has to be on the show?”  Another woman was a teacher from New York City and a third guy was in radio advertising from Atlanta.

By the time I was called to the “bullpen” for interviews they were up to 100 with probably another 50-60 currently in line waiting to sign in.   I knew I was only going to have a maximum of five minutes to make my point. 

The first question:  “Tell me about your background in food”   YES!!!!  This is going to be the year I thought….I gave her the run-down from being mesmerized by food as early as four or five and how I’ve been working in commercial kitchens since I was 14. 

 Second question:  “So tell us why you should be the next Food Network star?”  RIGHT ON!!!!!  The VERY question I had practiced for 3 1/2 hours…..first to get the answer complete without being too verbose, then working on the timing and response so it didn’t sound like it had been rehearsed for 3 1/2 hours or more.  As I brought my answer to a close the casting director responded enthusiastically “Wow!  You REALLY ARE passionate about food!”   Yes! I thought… I nailed it.  I felt great!  Iwent in there prepared, let my personality shine through and my application packet would help seal the deal! 

I was now thinking it’s a good thing I got the hotel room for two nights…surely I’ll be called back tomorrow!  I spent the rest of the day doing things that food geeks like me do on a day off….compare menus for a place to go to lunch, visit cookware stores and scope out the cooking class competition, visit one of my favorite places of all time…..Dekalb Farmer’s Market, and cap off the day with a cooking class in the evening .  All the while wondering…hmmmm, when will I get that call?  Is it still too early?  Would they wait until morning????   The answer was unfortunately…..not at all.  No call, not even a wrong number.

All was not lost though…I did have an AMAZING chilled Green Tomato Gazpacho at Parish Food & Goods in the Inman Park neighborhood of Atlanta.  I wish I had a recipe for it to share with you but unfortunately I don’t.  I do hope to try recreating it sooner than later so will definitely share it when I do! (provided that I like it as well!)

 

If you are looking for an off-beat casual lunch stop in Atlanta I would definitely recommend it!  The upstairs restaurant is open in the evenings for dinner but the downstairs kitchen and coffee/pastry counter is open for lunch and both are part of a “market”-style setting featuring various wines, pastries, and giftware. 

 

 A unique “community table” in the center of the market provides a convenient place for enjoying a cup of coffee and pastry while meeting others. 

An additional bonus is the fact that they offer free wi-fi too!

Check it out:

Parish Foods & Goods

240 North Highland Ave NE
Atlanta, GA 30307
(404) 681-4434
Get directions