Fancy Pants Foodie

Foodie news, reviews and how-tos from Arkansas and beyond.

This Week’s Goings-On

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New Capital Hotel Executive Chef prepares Coconut Soup with Crab Dumplings at last night's Governor's Culinary Challenge.

New Capital Hotel Executive Chef Joel Antunes prepares Coconut Soup with Crab Dumplings at last night’s Governor’s Culinary Challenge.

It’s a crazy week leading up to Saturday’s Food Blogger Bake Sale! Here’s what I’m juggling this week (more photos when I get a chance to sit):

• I was on the Alice Stewart Show this morning talking about the bake sale, as well as the American Culinary Federation Central Region conference happening right now in Little Rock and the culinary/hospitality school at Pulaski Tech. I’ll post the link if they make an online one I can share. I’ll be on Daybreak this Thursday at (gak) 6:20 a.m. demonstrating a Cooking Matters recipe and talking about the sale, and I’ll be on First News with Bob Steel on KARN Friday morning at 7:10 a.m.

• The aforementioned ACF Central Region conference is going on this week at the Statehouse Convention Center, which is nerd nirvana for those of us in the industry (even those of us not in restaurant kitchens). I got to introduce my dear friend Dr. Meenakshi Budhraja for her panel, “The Other White Coat,” about how chefs and doctors can work together to fight chronic disease. Today, I’ll hit the trade show for a spiffy new chef coat (and hopefully some freebies — looking at you, Plugra) and attend an afternoon session on Gluten-Free Cooking.

• As part of the conference, last night was the Governor’s Culinary Challenge at the Capital Hotel. Attendees (including top-notch chefs from around the region) got to taste the very best Little Rock has to offer, by local chefs including Donnie Ferneau, Lee Richardson and newcomer Joël Antunes (Capital’s new executive chef). More photos and details on that later today.

• It’s not too late to bake or plan to come to the bake sale! Just email me.

 

 

Comments

  1. Hi Christie, I enjoy reading your blog, “Fancy Pants Foodie”!! I too am an avid “foodie” and although I’m single, I cook dinner every night, just for me. No frozen meals area allowed, I do sauces, reductions, seafood, steak, salads, risottos, you name it, I cook it, and enjoy it as a hobby. I enjoy reading a cookbook or menu more than a novel! ☺ Growing up in a household who’s religion was VERY health focused, caused me to research food in depth, I was a vegetarian for 15 years, until I saw the light! ☺ Now there isn’t much of anything that I don’t eat, cook, or at least try. Fortunately my Mother was a wonderful cook, so she encouraged me to try new things and expanded my palette. In my early 20’s, I worked at Jacques and Suzanne’s for a number of years as Hostess, but it was there that I met most of the “Culinary World of Little Rock”. Paul Bash, Louis Petit, Denis Seyer, Barry Smith, Patrick Dayer, Andre Simon, Evette Brady, etc., etc., and became life-long friends with many of them. From 1980-1986 I taught Microwave Cooking for Litton Microwave Ovens in a three state territory. I was then hired to handle Media Relations for the State Sesquicentennial Celebration in 1986. I wrote Press Releases and did Media for Bill Clinton, even had a little TV Talk Show on Cable, called “Arkansas’s Birthday Party”. After that was over, I wanted to be involved in the Food World as a career. I got my B.A. in Communication at Univ of Ark, and also some Nutrition courses at Univ of Nebraska. I also received a Certification in Food Styling from “The Institute of Culinary Education” in New York City. I was Director of Marketing for Producers Rice Mill, Inc., and Director of Sales and Marketing for Riceland Foods. Long story short, actually a VERY long and somewhat tragic story, (living in MI, CA, TX, NE, and PA) I have been at De Wafelbakkers, LLC in N. Little Rock for 5 years and I love it. I told you all of my background to give me some “Foodie Cred.” as I’m wondering if there are any “Foodie Clubs” or “Cooking Clubs” in Central Arkansas that you are aware of? I would love to meet some like-minded people, to share with, cook with, dine out with, etc. I’ll continue to read and enjoy your blog. Thanks so much for the information you share! ☺ Cheers! Tammy Tammy Taylor-Lake Director of Consumer Marketing De Wafelbakkers, LLC PO Box 13570 N. Little Rock, AR 72113 501-370-1149 tlake@dwb.net [Description: cid:image001.jpg@01CD4E34.51DCE770]

    • Tammy, I am so excited you contacted me! I'll email you, too, to make sure you see this. We are fellow PR-turned-foodie folks! I haven't heard anyone mention a cooking club in a while. Before I started teaching weekends for Share Our Strength, I was trying to start a series of cooking classes. Our grant ends soon and I'll be looking to start a group. I was thinking one for beginners, one for upscale items, one for gluten free, and maybe one for vegan/plant based. Let's keep in touch! What kind of cooking would you be interested in doing in a group? I so appreciate what you had to say about the blog. I haven't been able to write as often lately, so it means a lot to know you're hanging in there. THANK YOU!!! -Christie