Did my “influencer” dinner. They were lovely, appreciative and fun. It went well- but it was also arduous and turned into more than I bargained for. 8 courses became 2 menus filled with substitutions as vegans were in the house and it had to be soigné. Add some last minute menu requests, a 2nd floor load in with a heavy cooler and kitchen equipment, no (requested and agreed upon) parking spot, and a “do you mind if we go to the liquor store?” as I’m plating the amuse bouche…
So you do what you have to to make it happen and say “Of course. Thank you, may I have another?”
As per the agreement with Take A Chef she dutifully documented each course, even sang and danced some for the livestream which was excellent and has nearly 5,000 Instagram likes in a few days, but what remains is my payoff. Take A Chef picked up the grocery expenses but I’ve got 15 hard hours in donated to the cause.
How will it help and will I even be able to tell if it does?
Regarding my aborted internet tv pilot. A few weeks back a producer for Eat This TV contacted me blowing smoke up my ass about how I’m the real deal and am being considered for this opportunity, basically appealing to my vanity coupled with my hope that someone gets what I do and could maybe help the cause.
In reality it was a phishing scam preying upon unwary susceptible marks that believe their pitch. At question was the “no production costs” that after some fast talking bullshit became “you just need to rent the studio”. For only $3,200 I could come on down and they could put me in this Chevy, I mean who could resist?
That would be me.
Classic bait and switch. They took me for some rube looking up at the big buildings. I may have been hibernating in suspended animation in regards to publishing Home Cookin’ over the last few years,
but I know a grift when I see one.
The podcast with Take A Chef, though inundated with tech issues went great- in spite of having to update my browser, the battery wearing down, and zoom cutting out after 40 minutes twice. 3 attempts later, the interviewer said she couldn’t stop smiling and loved it. I’ve always considered myself more storyteller than writer so all I did was tell some good ones. It’s the reason I write conversationally- as if we’re sitting on a couch talking.
“Most extravagant meal cooked?” That would be for a Saudi sheik featuring a “baksheesh” gift of an ounce of gold to start, 4 kgs of Petrossian Beluga caviar, $10,000 worth of white roses flown in that morning from Madrid with Krug and Chateau Haut-Brion being liberally poured. That was one hell of a party.
“What advice would I give?” As mentioned here, you never lose when you invest in yourself.
“Wildest use of food?”
That time I filled a bathtub with chocolate mousse…
All in all, an interesting week.