One great friend I have made is Lisa Moss. She is a hard working co-worker who has an amazing, beautiful, life-loving family. Only one hitch; their 5 year-old son Evan has been suffering from seizures since he was an infant. After just getting to know Lisa, I watched her whole family go through the terrifying process of brain surgery to give Evan a life that is seizure free. No parent or child should EVER have to endure this.

Taking lemons and making lemonade, Lisa and her husband Rob created SeizureTracker.com. This FREE website is designed for those living with seizures a way to log their activity and provide detailed info to their doctors. Born from her son's battle with seizures, and launched from the waiting room of his brain surgery, this site is a much needed help to the 2.5 million people in the US currently affected by epilepsy.

American Express, iVillage & NBC Universal have started the "Shine A Light" spotlight award. This award is to recognize and spotlight local businesses who are inspiring. This is the real Main Street being highlighted with this contest, of which the winner will receive $100,000. SeizureTracker is a nominee for this award and I can't stress enough how much this would help the development of the site, of which Lisa and Rob completely pay for out of their pockets.

As great as Seizure Tracker is, they need your help! In order to even be considered to move onto the next round, Seizure Tracker needs a certain amount of votes. PLUS, THERE ARE ONLY 5 DAYS LEFT TO VOTE!!! Follow these simple steps to make a real difference:

1) Register - Click on the link below and then click on the blue hyperlink that says "register" on the resulting page. I have signed up with my real info and haven't been spammed. http://shinealight.ivillage.com/learn-more/

2) Vote - http://shinealight.ivillage.com/sbo-profile/?ProfileID=3513 After you register, click on this link here (SeizureTracker's profile for Shine A Light) and click on the blue box that says "Support this story, ENDORSE NOW" at the very top left of the page just below Seizure Tracker LLC. It will say something like your endorsement has been recorded.

3) Forward This To Your Friends & Family - If you know anyone affected by seizures or who is willing to help Seizure Tracker in its efforts to provide free help for those living with epilepsy, forward this on and urge them to vote.

By doing this, know you are making a difference in many lives. Thank you!

I love food for many reasons. Influences from my childhood range from my Dad's soupy-soup, my Mom's chicken and wine sauce, Nonny's cream puffs and Grandma's tamales.

Equally important were the culinary lessons I learned at my best friend (who I met in Kindergarten) PJ's house growing up together. We were the original frick-and-frack. Found one? The other wasn't far behind. This meant endless meals together, most cooked by her and her mom. These were lessons that inspired me to get to know Vietnamese cuisine a bit better and write about it.

Here is yet another lengthy C-School paper for your enjoyment.

PJ and I rushed with a sense of urgency across the literary halls of the San Francisco State University campus, on this otherwise non-descript overcast day. We were late in attending PJ (my childhood friend of 20 years)’s Mom’s graduation from the Psychology Masters Program. I had spent almost every day since kindergarten with PJ’s family, her Mom (Mai McGuire-Tran) in particular. Mai treated me just like her other kids; she disciplined me when I was bad, gave me shiny crimson and gold leaf envelopes full of $2 bills for the Vietnamese Lunar New Year (“Tet”), and always made a spot for me at her table. Most importantly she taught me that taking time to prepare meals fosters togetherness, eating fresh vegetables and less preservatives cures whatever ails you, and sharing food with the ones you love keeps culture alive. But never did she confide her struggle for acceptance, at least not until her speech at this graduation ceremony. The wife of an American soldier, Mai immigrated to the US just before the end of the war. She was received by angry Americans who spit at her, called her “gook”, and told her to go home. The most heartbreaking was Mai being flipped “the bird”, and her waiving back thinking they were saying hello. She even told of professors in that very room who discouraged her from attending college at all. Mai’s experience was not unlike that of the 2 million refugees and immigrants from post-war Vietnam who escaped persecution only to settle amidst a public hostile towards all things Vietnamese (Tolerance.org). And although the reasons for participating in the Vietnam War are still contentious to this day, the Vietnamese have brought with them a cuisine that is exciting, healthy, flavorful, and sophisticated enough for a second look by those still mired in politics. From soul satisfying comfort foods, elegant French influences, to the vegetable as an art form, Vietnamese food has something for everyone, which makes it as American as apple pie.

Just like the United States, cuisine from this country of over 76 Million people (CityPopulation.de) is heavily influenced by geography. Vietnam is located at the easternmost edge of southern Asia, bordering the South China Sea. Along the eastern border of Vietnam lies Laos and Cambodia, and in the North is China. Two major river deltas, The Red River Delta in the north, and the Mekong Delta in the south, are separated by a mountain range in the middle. This makes for three distinct regional types of cuisine: the hearty soups of the North, the regal dishes of the center, and the spicy and exotic South.

Northern Vietnam is similar to the Northern part of the US in that the climate is cooler and much drier than the rest of the country. It is here that the Chinese influence, focusing mainly on stir-frying, the use of a wok and chop sticks, rice dishes and noodle based soups, are most evident. The cool climate does not lend itself to a variety of herbs and vegetables (Sallys-Place.com) and therefore the food tends to be milder yet hearty. Simple and satisfying dishes such as crab and asparagus soup (Mang Tay Nau Cua) hail from Northern Vietnam (Routhier, 11) but none as famous or as coveted as Hanoi Beef Soup or Pho (pronounced ‘Fuh’). Pho is a beef broth based soup poured over a healthy heaping of flat rice stick noodles (Banh Pho). Typically a restaurant food, Pho comes with a variety of meats, which is chosen by the customer, such as rare beef (Tai), meatballs (Bo Vien), or well done beef (Chin). When the soup arrives at your table, add the meat immediately so the broth can cook the meat to the perfect temperature. In addition, every bowl of Pho will be accompanied by a plate of garnishes including bean sprouts, mint, cilantro, Serrano chili slices, lime wedges, and basil. Pho has become popular throughout Vietnam and is sometimes referred to as the national soup. Although there is no official evidence of the origin of Pho, legend has it that Pho was invented when Vietnamese chefs recreated the famed French dish Pot au Feu for their then colonial rulers (Pham). Still others believe that the heavy Chinese influence in North Vietnam is what inspired this soul-satisfying pot of soup. Nevertheless, debate rages on over steaming bowls of Pho throughout Vietnam to this day.

Elegant dining, or “nouvelle cuisine” is highly prized in the United States, and Vietnam is no different. The central portion of Vietnam has a regal history dating back to the 2nd century AD (AsiaTour.com) where the Champa Kingdom was established and ruled for almost 1,600 years in the present day city of Hue. It was among the Vietnamese that these ancient people brought food to a refined, regal level known as “imperial cuisine” or “cuisine of the emperors” (Trang, 20). Presentation of petit portions artfully decorated was of utmost importance in order to pay respect to both fine dining, and the palate of high-society noble families of the Champa Kingdom. This became the roots of “family style” dining where many small dishes are served at one time, indicating the wealth of a household through the bountiful spread of food (Sallys-Place.com). This region is known for their pork sausages (Nems), sweet or salty rice cakes, and incorporates many familiar Western vegetables such as artichoke, asparagus, cauliflower, and potatoes which are locally grown (Routhier, 11).

Similar to the Southern portion of the US, South Vietnam is a busy seaport contributing to the piquant cuisine thanks to the availability of spices, chiles, and curries from nearby Thailand, Cambodia, and India (Trang, 20). Needless to say, portion sizes are much larger and fewer in amounts as compared to the central coast, and the fertile soil from the Mekong Delta yields a wealth of exotic fruits and vegetables which find their way in many dishes. A popular style of eating in the south includes wrapping grilled meats with fresh vegetables and herbs in a lettuce leaf, similar to a burrito, and dipping it into a savory sauce, such as a peanut saté (Routhier, 12). Barbecue dishes are also very popular in the south like barbecued shrimp paste on a stick of sugar cane (Chao Tom).

Americans have had a long-standing love affair with seafood. And thanks to the miles and miles of coastline, fresh fish is caught and enjoyed the same day in Vietnam, particularly in light seafood dishes like fried butterfish (Ca Chien), grilled prawns with lemongrass (Tom Nuong Xa), and freshwater fish braised in a caramel sauce (Ca Kho) (Trang, 139). According to Corinne Trang, author of Authentic Vietnamese Cooking, “whole fish is a sign of prosperity… and the head of the fish is a delicacy that is believed to bring good luck to the one who eats it.” (Trang, 140). Whole fish is simply prepared by steaming, sometimes in beer, and served with a variety of fresh herbs and vegetables.

Both America and Vietnam were once ruled over by European powers. Vietnamese food is highly influenced by its former colonial ruler of almost 100 years, France, so much so that Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon) was once dubbed “the Paris of the Orient” (Routhier, 9). France imported a love of café au lait (ca phe) and the use of an individual French press coffee paired sweetened condensed milk. The French also brought to Vietnam a love of dairy items such as milk, butter, yogurt, ice creams, and custard tarts. Baguettes are enormously popular as well. It is not uncommon to see vendors selling fresh baguettes, made from rice and wheat as opposed to the French version of only wheat, smeared with pork pâté, or used to sop up spicy chicken curry (Cari Ga) (Trang, 17). Vietnamese food has relatively few preservatives, which is why grocery shopping is done daily in Vietnam. This is similar to France where fresh fare is purchased every day. Tea is an institution in Vietnam, and thanks to French influence, hip Vietnamese urbanites occasionally indulge in adding milk and sugar, much to the chagrin of tea purists. The French are also responsible for bringing cattle and a love of beef to Vietnam. This has evolved over the years into a popular restaurant experience known as “Beef Seven Ways” or “Seven Course Beef”. This indulgent meal can include versions of beef fondue, beef salad, beef pâté, beef soup, beef patties or sausages, and other beef delicacies.

Vegetarian cuisine has become a way of life for thousands of people in the US, and in Vietnam thanks to the influence of Buddhist monks; it has become an absolute art form. Buddhist monks are by nature strict vegetarians, holding the belief that all living beings have souls and eschew use of any meat based food products. Two basic techniques of vegetable preparation are utilized; stir-frying and braising (Trang, 22). Vegetable dishes are very simply prepared with fresh ingredients such as stir-fried bean curd with lemongrass on crisp cellophane noodles (Dau Ph Xao Xa Ot Chay), and desserts like iced jelly lotus seed and mung bean dessert (Che Hot Sen That Tranh). As mentioned earlier, the Vietnamese have adopted many Western vegetables in their diet as exemplified in the simple dish stir-fried asparagus (Mang Tay Xao). But if you’re looking for vegetables indigenous to Vietnam, water spinach (Rau Muong) is so prevalent throughout the country that it is consumed daily and often considered the national vegetable (Trang, 123).

From ketchup to salsa, Americans love their condiments. We tend to view the use of condiments in this country as a quick and easy enhancement to food, as evidenced by conveniently packaged condiments available everywhere. In Vietnam, condiments take on a much more essential role in dining, where a meal is not complete until they hit the table (Trang, 39). There are four main categories of condiments used in Vietnamese cuisine. To begin, pickles and preserved vegetables are used frequently and almost always home made using salt, sugar, and white rice vinegar for pickling, and salted water for preserving. Vegetables vary and can include carrots, cucumbers, daikon radish, and other types of radishes indigenous to Asia. A second category, primarily used in food preparation and not on the table, includes flavorings usually used in stir-frying. These flavorings, such as lemongrass, coriander, and sate, give Vietnamese food their unique character unlike any other. The third category includes fried garnishes like fried shallots, fried garlic oil, and scallion oil. These fried garnishes are used as a sauce for many meat and seafood dishes, soups, and pâtés. Loosely included in the “garnish” category is the traditional “table salad” or green garnish plate that consist of aromatic greens served fresh. This can include basil, cilantro, mint, bean sprouts, lettuce leaves, cucumber, chiles, lime wedges, and even exotic fruits. It is common to have these traditional herbs served with a steaming bowl of Pho, or as an accompaniment to Spring Rolls (Cha Gio). The last, and most important, of the groups of condiments are dipping sauce and seasonings. The Vietnamese use fish sauce (Nuoc Mam) like the Chinese use Soy Sauce, or Westerners use salt. Fish sauce is made by fermenting salted anchovies for six months and extracting the resulting juices. Fish sauce is the equivalent to French “mother sauces” and become the basis for many other dipping sauces like Nuoc Cham, which is fish sauce with lime juice, white rice vinegar, sugar, chiles, and garlic. Vietnamese food is just not eaten without this vital condiment.

Vietnamese food truly has an element of dining to please every American palate provided they keep in mind one simple fact: Vietnam is not the Vietnam War. The war is over. Vietnamese food is elegant, creative, wholesome, fresh, comforting, exciting, and will bring your family together at the dinner table, a rarity in our fast paced society. And it speaks volumes of Vietnamese culture for Mai, a Vietnamese immigrant, to take this American into her home, feed me like royalty, and treat me like family. Thank God she did, otherwise I would have missed out on an exciting cuisine, and not to mention lifelong friends. This one lesson we all can learn from.

WORKS CITED

Bankston, Carl L. and Zhou, Min. “Straddling Two Social Worlds: The Experience of
Vietnamese Refugee Children in the United States”. Available at Tolerance.Org “Fight
Hate and Promote Tolerance”. 25 August 2004.
http://www.tolerance.org/teach/expand/vietnamese/vac.pdfs/vac_brief_history.pdf

Cooking and Eating. AsiaRecipe. 25 August 2004.
http://asiarecipe.com/vieculture.html

Diversity Among Vietnamese Americans. Tolerance. 25 August 2004.
http://www.tolerance.org/teach/expand/vietnamese/vac_pdfs/vac_map2_diversity.pdf

Freeman, Nancy. “Vietnam”. Available at Sallys-Place.com: “It’s Sally’s Place for food,
beverage, and travel”. 25 August 2004.
http://www.sallys-place.com/food/ethnic_cuisine/vietnam.htm

Luong, Quang-Tuan. Various Pictures. Available at TerraGalleria.com: “View on-line galleries
of travel, adventure, landscape, and nature photography by Quang-Tuan Luong”. 23
September 2004.
http://www.terragalleria.com/vietnam/index.html

McGuire, PJ. Various Pictures. Not available on the web. 23 September 2004.

Pham, Mai. “A Bowl of Pho: Vietnam’s Treasured Beef Noodle Soup Brings Families
Together.” San Francisco Chronicle November 5, 1997: 1, 5.

Routhier, Nicole. The Foods of Vietnam. New York: Stewart, Tabori & Chang, a division of
Harry N. Abrams, Inc., 1989.

Trang, Corinne. Authentic Vietnamese Cooking: Food from a Family Table. New York: Simon
& Schuster, 1999.

Vietnam – City Population – Cities, Towns & Provinces – Tables & Maps. City Population. 22
September 2004.
http://www.citypopulation.de/Vietnam.html

Vietnamese Cuisine. AsiaRecipe. 25 August 2004.
http://asiarecipe.com/vieculture.html

Vietnam/History/The Kingdom of Champa. AsiaTour. 23 September 2004.
http://www.asiatour.com/vietnam/e-oland/ev-lan21.htm

Vietnam Map. AsiaTravel. 23 September 2004.
http://www.asiatravel.com/gifs/vietnam.jpg

Here is the second installment of "How I Got My Food Writing Externship". Every culinary school student (at CSCA at least) has to do a 12 week externship in a kitchen, food producing facility or other career oriented opportunity.

A buddy of mine in school really did say "All those cooking skills, and you're going to write?" A compliment to say the least. However, after hearing my protein chef tell a story about being burned by the Executive chef with a hot pan because he didn't get his dish up for a VIP 4-top in time, there was no contest.

The following was originally published in the CSCA newsletter. Enjoy!

The editor’s email read “You passed!  Not with flying colors… but, you passed!”  I read his email 14 times before I could control my giddiness.  The writer’s dream externship with Angeleno Magazine was in the bag, and I couldn’t be happier.

Day 1 was housekeeping: send magazines, order product, add to database.  This is cake, I thought.  Then I received my first assignment.

“The calendar theme is restaurants with art that’s for sale.  Bring me 12-15, and some photos.  Due, say, 48 hours?”  My mouth answered “Yes Chef”, but my mind thought “Are you crazy?”  My L.A. restaurant knowledge doesn’t extend past Chili’s, and I knew I was being thrown into the deep-end of the pool.  I hustled phone calls, emails, and spent my nights driving across the city visiting sites.  Come Thursday, I banged out 14 restaurants and the featured artists.  Whew!!

My next assignment on the best burgers in L.A. sounded glamorous.  I treasured the idea of eating burgers and giving my honest opinion, but by the 7th pile of beef staring me in the face, I was nauseous.  Truth be told, I loved the unforgettable horseradish BBQ sauce, the decadent Kobe burger with foie gras mousse and truffle butter, and the famous arugula, Maytag & Gruyere burger was worth enduring the crowd.

Despite my monster stomach ache, by the time my article was complete (10 burgers total!) I knew that foodwriting is the perfect career for me, and Angeleno was the perfect place to start.

Here is a funny one. Keep in mind that I was one driven m-f'er during culinary school. There was no test I wasn't prepared for. There was no restaurant fire (when class turns into a restaurant line with Chef calling out strange orders on the fly... nice!) that I couldn't surmount. However, I will never, ever as long as I live and breathe forget being surprised by what faced me trying to get my externship.

The following was originally published in the CSCA newsletter. Enjoy!

My heart dropped.  The Los Angeles Times, THE externship for CSCA News writers, couldn’t take me because they had too many people!  Devastation turned to fear as I scrambled for a back-up plan.  My Intro I Chef’s voice in my head rang, “sense of urgency”, and I was on the move.

Phone calls, emails, and mass networking filled the days since the news.  A referral sent me to a nondescript advertisement from Angeleno Magazine for a food and travel intern.  Because online job advertisements are not always reliable, I sent my resume and forgot about it.  One week later I received an email asking me to interview.  I booked it, but my excitement was tempered since this meeting would probably be informational.

I arrived early for my interview with the magazine, and looked at the blown up cover pages on display. Nothing but accomplished Hollywood names, I thought.  I started to want this more.  I met with the personable editor, and slipped into charming banter.

Then it happened.

He handed me a 10 page editing test on grammar I never learned in high school.  Sweating, I sat down and tried to concentrate, but I couldn’t focus.  I was frustrated because I did not remember what an infinitive was.  Page after page of semicolons, linking verbs, and gerunds…my head began to hurt. 

Finally, on the last page were questions that I could answer: how many ounces in a gallon, how many wine bottles in a case, and if olive oil is a monounsaturated fat.  I knew that wasn’t enough to win me this dream externship.  I handed back the test and said goodbye, positive I didn’t pass.

Or did I?

(Robin DID end up getting this externship with Angeleno Magazine.  Stay tuned to find out what her job duties will be in Part II. – Ed.)

Ready for yet another foodie travel show? If it stars the eponymous Ruth Reichl we certainly are. According to Mediaweek, Gourmet Magazine has our beloved Editor-in-Chief jet setting between international culinary schools with film and television stars happily tasting and reacting along the way. Coming along for the ride is American Airlines who is spending beaucoup bucks for signage, 30-second spots, magazine ads, website road blocks and corporate sponsorship of the Gourmet Institute Cooking School.

The only drawback, it's being shown on public television. Most successful long-term foodie travel shows have dominated cable television networks, a la Travel Channel's No Reservations with Anthony Bourdain and the endless Food Network travel stylings of Rachel Ray, Giada De Laurentiis, Alton Brown, Guy Fieri, the Dean boys, so on and so forth. I never saw the previous TV try entitled Gourmet's Diary of a Foodie, also featuring Reichl, simply because I had never heard of it. And I'm a fan. This in and of itself is a problem.

Since I don't neatly fit into the NPR-loving, public television watching foodie profile, I'll have to set a TiVo season pass. Let's hope for the best.

Every chef has a chef they truly love and admire. I am no different. Before culinary school I knew very little of the iconic Chef Paul Prudhomme. I had passed his spices in the local grocery store, but had no idea that his upbringing, background and influences led him to uphold a higher culinary standard to this day.

In all my travels to New Orleans, I have yet to experience K-Paul's Louisiana Kitchen. For this reason, I am itching to get back to the N.O. to experience what freezer-less cuisine can offer. If you can't make it to the Big Easy, head to your spice aisle and pick up any one of Chef Prudhomme's Magic Seasoning Blends. Each one is outstanding, just like Chef.

Below is a project that a couple of classmates and I put together for our Organizational Psychology class about Chef Paul Prudhomme. See if you don't feel the same after reading.

Group:  Robin Aguilar, Glenn Lara, Nora Sandoval

Class:   Organizational Psychology

Date:    July 2, 2005

Role Model Culinary Leaders: Chef Paul Prudhomme

            Chefs are considered leaders in the culinary industry; they are responsible not only for their kitchens, but their employees, clientele, and the public at large.  Chef Paul Prudhomme has taken his small, down-home restaurant, and turned it into a multi-media empire which has placed him center stage.  Chef Prudhomme’s leadership experience makes him an ideal role model chef, and he has done it all despite his disability which greatly hinders his mobility.

            Raised in Louisiana’s Acadian country, Chef Paul Prudhomme learned to cook at 7 years-old when he became the last of 13 children.  At the time, this part of rural America did not have electricity, subsequently no refrigeration, which taught Chef Prudhomme a deep appreciation for fresh ingredients.  This spawned an insatiable love for cooking in his soul.  After completing his culinary education, Chef Prudhomme left home to work in many different types of kitchens to get a feel for how food is prepared and served (ChefPaul.com).

            In 1979 Chef Prudhomme returned to open K-Paul’s Louisiana Kitchen with late wife K Hinrichs Prudhomme, in the Garden District of New Orleans (ChefPaul.com).  Originally designed as a local hangout, its popularity grew as did K-Paul’s success.  The signature dishes of K-Paul’s became the blackened redfish, and blackened steak, a technique near and dear to Prudhomme’s heart (ChefPaul.com). 

Seven years later Chef Prudhomme published his first cookbook Chef Paul Prudhomme’s Louisiana Kitchen, which flourished on the NY Times bestseller list for several weeks.  Chef Prudhomme eventually authored 8 cookbooks, and produced several instructive cooking videos (ChefPaul.com).

The success of his books soon led to television, magazine and radio publicity.  Chef Prudhomme has been interviewed on program greats including The Today Show, 20/20, Larry King Live, and Good Morning America (ChefPaul.com).  In addition, Chef Prudhomme has been featured in endless print magazines, and became the first chef featured on the award winning “Great Chefs of America” series produced by Robert Mondavi (StarChefs.com).

And with the major publicity regarding his culinary talents, Chef Prudhomme was also recognized for his pervasive work in the culinary industry.  Chef Prudhomme became the first American born chef to receive the Merite Agricole of the French Republic Award recognizing excellence in agriculture.  He was also honored as “Culinarian of the Year” and “Culinary Diplomat” by the American Culinary Federation.  In 1993 Chef was honored with the College of Diplomats Award and the Thad and Alice Eure Ambassador of Hospitality Award (NewOrleansOnline.com).  In addition Chef Prudhomme still had time to cook for Heads of State, members of Congress, President Ronald Reagan’s inauguration ball, and at the Congressional BBQ (ChefPaul.com).

No career is complete without charity work, and Chef Prudhomme is no exception.  Chef lends his support and talents to charity benefits including Meals on Wheels, the Easter Seals, the March of Dimes, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, and Chef and the Child.  Chef Prudhomme currently acts as national spokesperson for Cystinosis, a metabolic disease that builds up high levels of cystine which can lead to kidney failure (StarChefs.com).

In order to accomplish all of these great feats and remain effective in running multiple businesses, Chef Prudhomme has to conduct himself as an effective leader.  And it is through his actions where the Four Managerial Skills of organizational psychology are most effectively characterized.  To begin, a technical leader is one which is knowledgeable, experienced, and can do the job of the people they are leading.  Chef Prudhomme embodies a technical leader in that his extensive knowledge and experimentation with seasonings ultimately led to the birth of the “Magic Seasonings” line of packaged seasonings.  What began as small packets of seasonings he would give to customers who asked, turned into distribution in over 30 countries, a successful mail-order business, seasoned and smoked meats, and a blackened chicken dish seasoned with “Magic Seasonings” at all Popeye’s Chicken restaurants nationwide (StarChefs.com).

            The second skill is a human leader which can easily relate to other people with a sense of compassion and understanding for varying needs, attitudes, and motivations.  Chef Prudhomme represents a human leader in that once he realized that the seasoning packets that he and his staff would complimentary distribute to customers began to be too much to handle, he discussed with his staff the idea of expanding into a separate facility for manufacturing.  This allowed his staff to have ownership over the direction of Magic Seasoning Blends, focus on their job duties, as well as create jobs for others in the area manufacturing (ChefPaul.com).

            The third managerial skill is that of a personal leader who conducts themselves with a sense of professionalism, self control, and a positive attitude when things go wrong.  Chef is characteristic of a personal leader in that he practices what he preaches in terms of the necessity of freshness in food.  At K-Paul’s there are three kitchens and one bakery, and with a passionate commitment to freshness, there are no freezers whatsoever.  Only the freshest and highest quality ingredients are used (KPauls.com).  This is why the menu changes daily.  This dedication to the final product is what makes him such a success.

Finally, a conceptual leader is operating at the peak of their career and skill, yet can still maintain balance, organization, time management and delegation.  Chef is a perfect example of a conceptual leader in that he is at the height of his position, yet he still serves at a consultant to Team USA for the American Culinary Federation’s entrants in world-renown culinary competitions held every year (StarChefs.com).  Chef’s multi-tasking ability is so finely honed, that he has the time and energy to train other chefs to compete on a global standard.

            In conclusion, Chef Prudhomme is a leader in the culinary industry by taking his down-home culinary roots, and turning that into a multi-media empire.  His strict loyalty to the customer, fresh ingredients, and turning his public success into a mouthpiece for charitable organizations is something to be admired and replicated.  Paul Prudhomme is a role model for Chefs everywhere, and an effective leader in every sense of the word.

There's no doubt that I'm a HUGE fan of Ruch Reichl. This former LA Times and New York Times food critic, and current EIC at Gourmet is a heroine in her own right. She's got a kick ass palate and a sincere love of food that shines through brightly. I'm not ashamed to admit that she's the reason I subscribe to Gourmet (although I probably should be). As you can tell, I'm a bit of a stalker fan.

I got the chance to see her speak at the LA Public Library while I was in culinary school and have been hooked ever since. Here is an article I wrote about that Ruth Reichl speaking engagement which first published in the CSCA Newsletter. Hope they don't mind if I publish it again.

Ruth Reichl: Critic in Disguise

Thank God for the Council of the Library Foundation that hosts the “Aloud” speaker series at Downtown’s Central Library.  Ruch Reichl, Editor-in-Chief of Gourmet Magazine, and food critic for the New York Times graced the stage to share juicy tidbits of her latest memoir Garlic and Sapphires: the Secret Life of a Critic in Disguise.

Upon discovering that New Yorkers were “studying” her and forking over cash for info on where she was eating next, Reichl decides to team up with a former acting coach/family friend to concoct elaborate personas to review restaurants under the radar.  Her searing double review of posh Le Cirque uncovered eloquent service she received as Ruth, and disdainful handling she experienced as Molly, set the New York restaurant world aflame and birthed a myriad of characters Reichl profiles in her book.  Eloquent and delicious to read, Reichl’s affable personality is apparent throughout, making it an enjoyable read.  And live, she is more delightful.

Not only interested in selling books, Reichl expounded upon fine dining morality, disapproving of what she does because it’s obscene to spend this kind of money on food, and the danger of becoming a two-tiered food system where the poor are relegated to over processed “terribly played with food”.  Reichl urges audiences to bravely invite others over to eat, where there is a generosity and openness to letting strangers see your kids acting up, bad taste in art, or dishes in the sink over dinner.

Isn’t that what life’s all about?

Going through my old culinary school papers, I came across a bunch of interesting homework, essays and synopses that were fun to read all over again. This one was from my Food in History class where I highlighted one of my fave shows, Iron Chef. This is a long one, but if you've got the time it's a great read. Allez cuizine!

Food is to be looked at as well as Eaten:

Iron Chef and its Impact on the Appetite of Man

Robin D. Aguilar

Food History

Instructor Scott Storms

California School of Culinary Arts

March 26, 2005

Television is a truly powerful medium, capable of educating, entertaining, inspiring and motivating the masses.  Culinary television shows in particular enhance the lives of its viewers by imparting the basics on how to cook for you or your loved ones, and as a result satiating our need to sustain life.  Iron Chef, a Japanese television export, takes this concept a step further by giving a, albeit flamboyant, view into the lives the Japanese and how a culture that respects and reveres food can have some fun with it too.  Although Iron Chef is no cure for Cancer, it has had a lasting impact on many different television viewing cultures, while using a universal medium all humans can relate to; food. 

Show Summary

It happens like all phenomena do.  I’m flipping the channels late one night, and I come across the Japanese channel.  Normally I click past simply because I had no clue what they were saying.  But this time was different.  “Hey”, I think to myself, “there’s a lobster.  What is he doing with that knife?  Oh no, he’s not going to… oooooooooooh.  He did.”  This graphic and vile display of life ending was the proverbial “train wreck” I needed to reel me in.  I was hooked.  And from then on whenever I would come across the loud screaming announcers arguing in Japanese, I was transfixed to the tube waiting for the next slaughter, all in the name of competition.  I would tell my friends about this crazy program where Chefs battle against each other to make several dishes from one ingredient in under an hour.  They would feign interest, but I knew that they had to see it to believe it.  Years went by, and eventually this show, whose name I did not know, popped up on the Food Network, the cable television channel dedicated to all things cuisine.  Turns out the name of the show is Iron Chef.  The premise is that Chairman Takeshi Kaga, a slightly mad millionaire, invests his fortune to build “Kitchen Stadium”, a place where the Japan’s elite chefs come together to compete and prepare unique dishes from a secret ingredient.  And now I could have my fill complete with English voiceovers.  I felt like Chairman Kaga himself, biting into that infamous yellow bell pepper for the first time, exhilarated.  The impact that Iron Chef has had on me is similar to the experience of its viewers all over the world.  Iron Chef is solely responsible for educating suburban American housewives on the fundamentals of Daikon radish, as well as inspire 9 year-olds to worship someone other than gangster rappers.  Iron Chef unwittingly has created an entire culture of fans that can’t get enough, and turn to their brethren online for tips, insights, and gossip.  Who knew this little one hour show would have the historical impact world leaders would kill for.  Host Takeshi Kaga puts it best in saying, “It’s great to be known, but it’s even better to be known as strange” (Iron Chef xvii).

Societal/Cultural Impact

In order to get a full understanding of Iron Chef the television show, one must first fully understand how the Japanese culture relates to food.  Cuisine in Japan is very different from the United States.  Food in the United States seldom has rhyme or reason.  If it looks like a steak, and tastes like a steak we’re happy.  The Japanese have a much deeper relationship with food which transcends fuel for the body.  Portion size is small, but is accompanied by a variety of other complementary dishes which make up the whole meal.  In addition, each portion is prepared so that it is edible the second it hits the table.  Part of this could be attributed to the use of chop sticks rather than a knife and fork, but according to Donald Richie in A Taste of Japan, this is more likely attributed to the appearance of the food itself. 

In Japan, while fish should look like fish, the fish dish ought also to look like something more.  It ought to reflect within its composition another concern, one the West considers aesthetic.  The effect should be as pleasing to the eye as the taste is to the tongue (Richie 9).

Because food should be both looked at and eaten, Japanese cuisine takes on the nature of artwork with contrasting shapes, colors that both highlight the main item and draw your attention away, opposite textures such as crunchy and smooth, and opposing flavors like bitter and sweet.  Japanese food truly is an experience.

            And it is no wonder a culture so focused on experiencing food would create a television show like Iron Chef.  Food that is supposed to be looked at as well as eaten is so interwoven in the concept of Iron Chef, that even the Japanese cuisine rules of arrangement of food on dishes (Richie 9), can be illustrated in the setup.  The first rule of “yamamori, a mountain like mounded arrangement” is illustrated in the unveiling of the secret ingredient at the beginning of the show, where a mountain of crabs, apples, or foie gras elevates from a smoky cavern below the Chairman.  Second is “sugimori, a standing or slanting arrangement” is evident in the Iron Chefs standing defiant on their platforms before being challenged.  Next is “hiramori, a flat arrangement used for foods such as sashimi” can be paralleled to the floor of Kitchen Stadium where the dueling steel kitchens stand side by side eyeing one another.  Ayamori is a woven arrangement, which is similar to the interaction between the sports broadcaster turned announcer Kenji Fukui and Shinichiro Ota who buzzes around asking questions to the obviously busy Chefs.  And finally yosemori which is the gathered arrangement, is represented by the gathering of the guest judges who preside over this experience and decide whose cuisine reigns supreme.

            And in Japan, Iron Chef worked, to the tune of 297 episodes, six years, and a grocery bill of $8 million dollars (Iron Chef 188, xiv).  The judging panel alone became an important publicity tool for musicians, actors, athletes, as well as a regular campaign stop for politicians.  More importantly, Japanese audiences tuned in each week simply because “the judges do not hold anything back with their comments.  They become quite emotional and, at times, brutally honest” (J-San).  This alluring combination of interesting personalities, fast-paced drama, and tons of competition reels you in again and again, not only to see what’s cooking, but to see who wins.

Economic Impact

            Media as pervasive as television has a very powerful effect on mans relationship to food.  Simply by turning on the boob tube, your average Joe can decide if broccoli rabe looks interesting, easy to prepare, and tasty enough to reach into his wallet and buy.  Clever marketing has us running out to Burger King one minute, and dialing Dominoes Pizza the next.  Food is big business, and this, according to David Bell and Gill Valentine in Consuming Geographies: We are Where We Eat, is due in part to “those wishing to articulate a certain lifestyle, since they help to attach social meanings to certain products” (Bell & Valentine 203).  Iron Chef’s format of “secret ingredients” makes disgusting food thrilling, watching these very talented chefs turn fish eyeballs into ice cream.  For the consumer, the thought process is if this guy can make sea urchin roe look as yummy as a hamburger, then maybe I could buy it and impress my friends at my next dinner party.  Iron Chef has opened up its viewers to a new world of odd, unusual, and sometimes very expensive ingredients which in turn give them knowledge only the “in crowd” knows about; hence the term “secret ingredient”.

And nothing projects an elite lifestyle, and ultimately makes more money, than items that are in demand or hard to get.  Since the first Japanese television broadcast in 1953 (Japan Information Network), few shows have been exported to the United States for rebroadcast.  With a constant need for exclusive programming, and the growing cult status Iron Chef was already achieving from local Japanese only programming stations, the Food Network was quick (and wise) to license rights to Iron Chef from Fuji Television, Inc.  Likewise, Fuji Television upped the “we’ve got it and you don’t” ante by licensing only a handful of the episodes to the Food Network.  This has spawned an outcry of fans wanting more, signing online petitions to “Put Iron Chef on DVD” (PetitionSpot.com), thereby driving up the popularity quotient.  Iron Chef has grown to a point where even good looking female guest judges, virtual unknowns in the US, have an online following, with the advent of the “Babes of Iron Chef” (ForMen.ign.com)  With publicity like this, the Food Network will have endless old and new Iron Chef viewers to satisfy their advertisers for years to come.

But the economic impact Iron Chef has had doesn’t stop there.  In 2005, The Food Network debuted eight episodes of “Iron Chef America” mimicking the competition format of Iron Chef, complete with Iron Chef Japanese Masaharu Morimoto from the original Iron Chef, and celebrity chefs Bobby Flay, and Mario Batali as the Iron Chefs America.  Gone is the Liberace-esque host Chairman Kaga (Johnson), but in his place is his “nephew”, and noted martial artist/actor Mark Dacasos (Benwick).  The knowledgeable and affable Alton Brown replaces Kenji Fukui as announcer/commentator, and the guest judges are celebrity “foodies” ranging from Ted Allen, the food expert from Bravo’s Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, and Vogue’s Jeffrey Steingarten.  The Iron Chef energy is present in Iron Chef America, but with the added twist of all chefs sporting wireless microphones.  Viewers get to hear Iron Chef Bobby Flay admonish his Sous Chef with an irritated “Dude, you killed this” over mango chutney gone wrong (Benwick).  It’s a whole new thrill for audiences, and an additional money maker for the Food Network.

Religious Impact

            There is an unwritten code among chefs which places an almost fanatic importance on the trade.  And rightfully so.  Preparing food to sustain life is a very powerful undertaking.  The burn wounds, knife cuts, busting your tail in and out of extreme temperatures to put together an amazing tasting dish could be equated to a religious experience.  For the Iron Chefs themselves, the stress of having to constantly create dishes, the frenetic pace of performing within the one hour time constraint, and (gasp!) possibility of losing was draining.  Iron Chef French Hiroyuki Sakai explains the after effects of losing a battle best:

I was apprehensive about what my staff would say to me.  I didn’t want to go straight back to the restaurant.  In the end, I was ultra cheerful and went in saying ‘Hey, I lost today!’ But everyone in the restaurant looked totally miserable.  That was tough (Iron Chef 201).

Chefs are looked upon as leaders of men, like ministers with the answers to help you out when the going gets tough.  You don’t, however, expect them to go on Iron Chef and lose.  In Japan this is a disgrace which will remain on your reputation as long as people remember that episode.

            Iron Chef effectively portrays the high regard the Japanese have for the culinary profession.  This is highlighted in contrast to cocky American celebrity chefs.  In the last international Iron Chef battle fought, Iron Chef Japanese Masaharu Morimoto went head to head with Bobby Flay in the “New York Battle”.  A makeshift Kitchen Stadium was recreated in Manhattan and all the stars of Iron Chef were flown to New York, hailing the event that brought Iron Chef to America.  But as the battle drew to a close, challenger Flay, in an attempt to pump up the crowd and let off steam, jumped up onto his cutting board and “raised the roof”, a motion where one puts both hands in the air and moves them up and down as if they are “raising the roof” in excitement.

Iron Chef Morimoto, with obvious agitation and without mincing words, dismissed Flay as a pretender.  ‘In my country,’ Morimoto told America, ‘the cutting board is sacred.  This man is not a chef (Iron Chef 5).

The “cutting board incident”, which it has come to be known as, is indicative of the solemn respect and almost religious deference with which chefs in Japan are regarded.

            The media is single handedly responsible for elevating chefs to a celebrity icon status, and Iron Chef is no different.  If the viewer relates to either the chefs food or personality, that bodes well for most restaurant endeavors they put their name behind.  According to Donald Sloan, author of Culinary Taste: Consumer Behavior in the International Restaurant Sector, it is this branding which creates customer loyalty that allows restaurants “not only to maintain a strong market share but also to increase profitability.  In an increasingly competitive environment therefore, brands make strong commercial sense for restaurant operators” (Sloan 120).  Eating at a celebrity chef restaurant is an event fans feel a necessary pilgrimage, much like going to services once a year on Easter, Rosh Hashanah, etc.

Political Impact

            Whenever you put a powerful show on television like Iron Chef, everyone is going to have an opinion on what transpires.  And because Iron Chef was so successful, people form strong judgments simply because of the shows pervasiveness.  On a broad level, the cuisine of Japan has changed since the advent of Iron Chef.  The 1^st Iron Chef French, Yutaka Ishinabe explains:

[W]hen you go out to the countryside, you anticipate a delicious dish of boiled fresh vegetables cooked by the local ladies.  Instead, you get a strange combination of ingredients served in the so-called Iron Chef style.  When faced with such situations, I feel that the Iron Chef has done malice to society (Iron Chef 57).

Clearly, Japanese purists would agree that society and its cuisine has not benefited from Iron Chef.  But nouvelle cuisine supporters would strongly disagree, citing that change is good, and just because something is different doesn’t mean that it is necessarily bad.  The debate rages on today.

            Similarly, the issue of English voice-overs on the American broadcast of Iron Chef has raised purist eyebrows, citing that the show doesn’t have the same impact with dubs.  However, it is interesting to note that the voice of Chairman Kaga is left in tact, instead utilizing sub-titles.  The reason for this is up for debate as well, some saying it is out of respect for the Lord of Kitchen Stadium, and others opining that the over dubs just never seemed to sound quite right (CFHF.net).

            The political impact of Iron Chef also exists in the selection of “secret ingredients”.  The People for Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) took issue with Battle Octopus because the animals were presented to the chefs live, and subsequently had to be rendered dead at some point during the battle (Harris).  Both Iron Chef Chinese Chen Kenichi and Challenger Kazuhiko Tei were forced to beat the squirming animals repeatedly, as viewers watched the octopi try and escape boiling pots.  PETA took issue with this treatment, although did not make this a forefront issue on their agenda.  Clearly for chefs, animal activism has little place in the kitchen.

            And on the politics of economy scale, regular Iron Chef Judge Shinichiro Kurimoto, former Japanese Lower House Member has spawned the liberal “Internet Breakthrough Party of Japan” which combines pushing for free markets, and opposing the American Empire (Harris).  Although Kurimoto does not use Iron Chef to further his propaganda, it is interesting to note life after Iron Chef.  This only goes to show further the impact Iron Chef has had on all walks of life, not just food.

Geographical Impact

            Iron Chef has done wonders to advance the idea that the world is a very small place, and human beings are very similar wherever you go.  What we share in common is the necessity of eating to stay alive, and more often than not, cooking that food before we eat it.  More importantly, Iron Chef has taught its viewers techniques they may not otherwise be familiar with.  For example, 1^st Iron Chef Japanese Rokusaburo Michiba had a standing policy to always include a dish in his presentation that the lay person could be inspired to prepare at home (Iron Chef 84).  In addition to technique, unusual flavor pairings became somewhat less daunting, rendering home chefs everywhere more willing to try out new combinations.  Creative thinking in terms of what tastes go together rather than what has worked in the past has given people kitchen license not usually found before the advent of Iron Chef (Norton).  Iron Chef can also be thought of as an educational tool, providing Western audiences with information about the many Japanese culinary styles (Shimabukuro), and the vast arsenal of unique Japanese ingredients as well.  Audiences of Iron Chef become undaunted by the different, and venture out to eat unfamiliar food items, even if only in their local sushi bar.  But it’s Iron Chef’s subtle encouragement to try something new which opens up doors for viewers to look upon other cultures as not so different after all.  Iron Chef created a world without borders, and many exceptional dishes to boot.  And this is perhaps the most beneficial impact which Iron Chef has given its audience by far.

Conclusion

            Culinary television shows have been around since television was invented.  But never has a culinary show had such a powerful and lasting impact on the history of food and cuisine since Julia Child like Iron Chef has.  Iron Chef changed cooking shows from the ‘here is the correct way to de-bone a chicken’ format, to culinary wrestling match.  The appeal, energy, kitsch, and sexiness of Iron Chef all combined to create a television show that has not only furthered the development of cuisine globally, but has had a lasting positive impact on its viewers.  I, for one, will never forget the class and grace of watching Iron Chef Sakai peel a tomato with his knife in long fluid strokes.  I still giggle whenever I think of floor commentator Shinichiro Ota being screamed at to go away by Iron Chef Kenichi for asking one too many questions.  Iron Chef Morimoto will always be my favorite Iron Chef, despite critics saying his food is not “traditional Japanese”.  And no matter what I’m doing, I will always stop and pay attention to the screen when I hear Chairman Kaga say “If memory serves me right…”  And if that isn’t historical impact, then I don’t know what is.

Works Cited

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Every foodie needs her fab electronics to keep it all straight. I absolutely LOVE my iPhone and would never trade it for the world. I can blog from it (as you early readers can tell from my unedited posting earlier), check my account balances, tweet my heart out, play Mafia Wars, preview a restaurant at Yelp before giving it a shot and keep a gratitude journal all in one place.

The first loss was somewhere along the 28 here in glorious Virginia. The most recent iPhone travesty was closer to home. She found it 12 hours later laying in the street, a shell of it's former self.

I had the chance to see the mess up close. I've got to tell you, it's quite a sight. The shattered display was mesmerizing. I even kept pushing the central home button, hoping there was some Apple magic to bring it back to life. To no avail.

(Doesn't the new update come out in a month?) Hopefully for my sweet iPhone-killing friend, the third time will be the charm.