Here we go!

2008-07-17T00:59:00.003-04:00

So, here I am, finally updating. I’ve been trying to figure out what to write about for the past couple of days. And I think I’ve figured it out. Pretty much anything food related in my life will be a part of this here shindig. From what I cook for dinner to articles I read to what goes on at work, it’s all game.

Let’s start from the beginning, shall we? You know, just in case I get more than two readers and they want to know how I got into this crazy business. I’ll try to keep things short and simple.

I’m Alexa! I’m 21 years of age. I’m from a town in Northern Virginia about half an hour from D.C.
I took a culinary class my senior year of high school and since nothing else sparked my interest like being in a kitchen did, I decided to go to culinary school to earn a degree in Baking and Pastry Arts and pursue a career as a pastry cook.
I spent three years at one of the country’s most well-known culinary schools, earning my associate’s in B&P Arts and my bachelor’s in B&P Arts Management. During this time I took a bunch of kitchen classes, a crap ton of academic classes and did an eighteen week externship in Florida.
After graduation at the end of last November, I moved to Utah to work at a fancy pants lodge. While I learned some new things, got to use new ingredients and worked with some cool people, I decided the lodge and Utah were just not for me.
I left Utah in mid-May, traveled across the country visiting friends and family, and officially moved into my mom’s basement on June 1st.

I think that’s a pretty nice abbreviated list of events. Anyways, since I got home I’ve been job hunting. Just in case someone out there has never had to look for a job, let me tell you, it can be flippin’ excruciating. I compiled a list of places to apply and sent in my resume with inquiries into possible jobs. A couple responded to set interviews, a couple responded saying they had no positions and a couple never responded. Ever. That’s just rude.

Anywho, as of two weeks ago I was in the interview process with two hotels. And as of a week and a half ago, I was hired by neither. I spent a day moping and then spent the day after that finding a couple more places to apply. I was still so frustrated with everything related to job hunting that I decided I had to get out of town for a couple days. So, I sent my resume in and then spent last Wednesday through Friday in Raleigh visiting my friend Bryan. It was seriously a couple of the most relaxing days I’ve had in a while. While down there, I ended up hearing from a chef at one of the places I had applied to and we set up a stage for this past Saturday. At the end of my stage, the pastry chef offered me a job, which I accepted on Monday.

So, in conclusion, I’ll be working at Black’s Bar and Kitchen in Bethesda. I start on Sunday morning. I’m really nervous, but also very excited. I’m going for dinner there on Saturday night with my mom and her boyfriend, Bob.

Oh, and Kate, we can go to Black’s for your b-day if you want. Or we can go to any of the other awesome restaurants in D.C. It’s up to you really. Just let me know when you’re going to be down here so that I can get a day off!

Also, I need a name for this here blog project of mine. Help me out!

Genius!

2008-01-12T04:04:00.000-05:00

I think I just may turn this blog into a food blog of sorts. I don't know yet, I have to figure out if I have the time and the determination for such a task.

In the meantime, I suggest everyone reads frenchlaundryathome.com and Michael Ruhlman's blog. Seriously good reads.

In fact, it's the author of frenchlaundryathome that is my inspiration for the possible transformation of this site. Basically, she takes recipes from the French Laundry cookbook, prepares them and then posts about them. I went ahead and bought the French Laundry and Bouchon cookbooks because her entries made me just that hungry for them.

Anyway, goodnight!

.....

Here we go!

Genius!