Anyone who knows me, knows that I would give up my current daily job in a heartbeat to stand around and cook all day. I aspire to run my own restaurant, crazy as it may seem. I have a head filled of hopes and dreams that some day I could quit this computer life and just cook. Now, this dream tends to change from season to season and the restaurant concept comes and goes like a butterfly on a sunny day hoping from flower to flower. If you asked me today, I would tell you I want a high end place with a top chef. If you asked me tomorrow, I'd tell you I want to be the best greasy spoon in town and serve just breakfast with blue plate specials. Other days, it's a coffee shop with fine pastries, and of course beautifully decorated cakes. But what it comes down to is that as soon as I win the lottery I'm outta this technology joint and into some cooking as fast as my feet will take me. Knowing my odds at the lottery, this could take a while, so in the meantime, I cook what I can for my family and get hazy eyed with dreams.
That being said, I watch a lot of the Food Network, Travel Channel, History Channel and just about any other channel where you can find something about food. Yes, it consumes my Tivo. Guilty.
Here's where I tell you that you will not be getting a recipe from me in today's entry. Nope. Today, you're getting a story that I will be able to regale for the rest of my life. A "once in a lifetime" opportunity, that had I passed it up (and I almost did) would have been stupid.
It started last week. On Facebook. A friend posts that a friend of hers, working at ABC Daytime as a Post Production Assistant, is looking "...specifically for a mother who likes to cook for her family and is available to skype for a segment airing live" on a show called "THE CHEW." This is a daytime talk show, consisting of 5 hosts; Carla Hall, Clinton Kelly, Mario Batali, Michael Symon and Daphne Oz. Yeah, 5 very popular, very famous people. Wait back up the food truck... Mario Batali and Michael Symon!!??? Oh yes. Very cool. So, that's nice. I read the post and think not much of it. A quick "heh yeah, that'd be cool" and I move on with my morning. Well, then I get an e-mail from my sister in law with exclamation points telling me I should get on Facebook and look at this girls post and it's something I should do! Ok, now my brain goes into overdrive and reads the post again. I head back to the website and check out what this show is really all about. I vaguely remember seeing the commercials for it when it originally started to air last year. I was going to Tivo this, that's right. Huh... OK, I'll check it out. Seconds go by and the Post Production Assistant (PPA) actually replies and says this would be a live recorded webcast where you Skype and talk directly with the hosts. Wha-aaat? A chance to talk with Mario Batali and Michael Symon?? Me? Oh, GOD YES, I'm in.
So, I send Facebook friend a message that I'm interested and here my e-mail address and cell phone number. And I move on with my morning.
NOT AN HOUR LATER, my cell phone rings and it's the PPA, who wants to know more about me. Do I cook often? What do I cook? What are my favorite things to cook? What do my kids enjoy best? What does my husband enjoy most that I cook? How long have I lived in New England? Do I have a web camera? A web camera, yes.... oh shoot... wait... no... the laptop camera is broken, but I can do this from home if I had to. I'll call her back in an hour.
Big time scramble now to get the laptop camera working. The taping time of this is during my lunch hour on Monday. "Today" is Friday. Got it working and called back the PPA and I'm in! Wahoo! Cloud Nine, floating high. Going to get a chance to talk with Mario Batali, Michael Symon, Clinton Kelly.... Oh so cool.
Monday morning approaches and I have all my ducks in a row. I have a conference room booked, my camera still works, the internet is stable, there's an 11:30 test call scheduled. 100% cannot concentrate on anything work related. Oh what fun. 11:30 rolls around and the test call goes pretty well. The video feed from their end of my picture isn't great, we're not sure why, but it's well enough. And oh yeah, can I find someone else to sit with me? What? Really? You did hear that I said I work in the computer industry, which is 90% men, right? So I scramble to find someone, anyone that might have an interest in food and could drop their lunch hour to sit with me and webcast with these famous chefs. At 12:15, I finally hooked someone and we're scheduled for our call at 12:30. By 12:45 we're TALKING WITH THE HOSTS.
Now, I have to point out... that while this is a very cool experience, much of it was staged. After they talked with me and learned what I like/do not like to cook, a few topics were chosen for me and I was asked to start with a particular question. We can't catch those celebrity chefs off guard with a hard question now, can we? So, they were my own thoughts and topics, but I was asked to talk about X, Y and Z in particular. And also, due to the technology of how they overlayed our Skype image intot he studio, we were not able to SEE the chefs while we were talking to them, nor could they see us. The control room could see us, and then we were green screened in after the fact. Either way, I did get to really and truly TALK and laugh and joke with the hosts and that was really very cool.
So, without much further ado, I give you, the clip of my 5 minutes of fame; a live taped webcast Q&A with the hosts of THE CHEW.
Titled: "One if by land, two if by Seafood"
And here's the best part.... if I play my cards right, I could get to visit and be an audience member, AND get to sit at the tasting table. Finger crossed, I'm planning a trip in July!
