Fancy Pants Foodie

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

It’s Official…Fancy Pants is Going to School!

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I tried to wait. I gave hints. But with final registration completed today, I have to share…

I’m going to culinary school!

Why, you may ask, would I do this? I already have a degree in journalism/PR. I am a stay-at-home-mom-blogger who always has some sort of side gig going. Due to some non-serious yet bothersome health issues, I don’t always have the energy to keep myself regularly bathed and dressed, much less do a bunch of extra stuff. (That’s a minor exaggeration, by the way.) So why?

I’m not really sure. It just feels right.

Lest I sound too much like the guy in The Making of a Chef who didn’t know why he was at culinary school, and later dropped out, let me clarify.

Without dumping my entire spiritual plate in your lap, let me say that I believe that things are not random. Everything lines up for a reason, often to set you up for something wonderful. Or at least purposeful. In this case, I think it’s both. I may not know exactly what I’m going to do with an associate of applied science degree in culinary arts, but I jumped at the opportunity. And almost immediately, further opportunities opened up for when I’m done, or even before.

I’m excited to be studying with the Arkansas Culinary School at Pulaski Technical College, the only accredited culinary arts program in the state. I recently toured their South Campus facilities (you know, the old Little Rock Flea Market joint), where the program is based, with giddy anticipation. Something about stainless steel countertops and walk-in refrigeration tells me I’ve come home.

My initial schedule:

Applied Foodservice Sanitation (online)
Food Production I
Baking I
Intro to Food Writing (They swear I’m not overqualified!)

I’ll share more as the time draws nigh. Classes don’t start until January, but I just couldn’t hold it in any longer!

Foodie Event: Chef’s Culinary Classic, Part 2 and more

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(Update 9/28, award winners listed below photos. Thanks to Holly Heer with AHA.)

Today, I spent a good part of the day at the Arkansas Hospitality Association’s annual tradeshow and convention. I love conventions, especially this one! Lots of great opportunities to rub elbows with fellow foodies. This was especially so at the Iron Chef competition, which had its first several heats today. I got to be a taster (but not a judge) in the second heat today. Each round had a new protein for the secret ingredient; the protein for the round I sat in for was duck. Yum!

Tomorrow, I get to be a taster again in the semi-final round. I’ll hang out for the final round and report more at that time. If you absolutely need at least one or two photos of Iron Chef right away, follow me on Twitter (@ARFoodie) and check out my Twitpics from today.

Meanwhile, I want to give you the final scoop on yesterday’s post, the Arkansas Chef’s Culinary Classic. The AHA folks haven’t gotten back with me on all the final winners (they’re busy with the convention and all), but I’ll update as soon as I have that info.

I did want to let you know about some of the highlights:

  • Watermelon and mint salad with balsamic vinegar by the Chef Osi Imomoh and Sous Chef Howard Austion at Southland Park Gaming & Racing. Must get recipe…there were two unusual types of melon involved.
  • Beautiful lamb chop with a fruit relish and Asian salad by Chef Jamie McAfee of the Pine Bluff Country Club.
  • London broil steak salad by Chef Tyler Husser and Chef Jerry Dolson of Hilton, Little Rock.
  • Saffron shrimp bisque by Chef Donnie Ferneau of the restaurant Ferneau.
  • An amazing Tahitian vanilla bean gelato with homemade maraschino cherries by Chef Adam Hanry of the Ozark Conference Center. This won best dessert, and rightfully so.
  • And my favorite…the roasted beef tenderloin with compound butter sauce by Chef Jason Knapp of the Arkansas Governor’s Mansion. Wondering if Gov. Beebe is gaining weight? Chef Jason is the culprit. (See photo from yesterday’s post.)

I also had to mention separately a remarkable find, but one you won’t be able to visit. That is, unless you work at the Dillard’s corporate offices on Cantrell. Bistro 1600, exclusively owned and operated by the food and beverage services of said corporate office, offered an impressive lineup. Hubby and I could not believe the food was not from a hoity-toity downtown restaurant. Chef Norman Geisselbrecht, Chef Michael J. Mass and Chef Marjis Meti presented dishes nothing less than divine. (My notes, other than WOW, got mixed up. In order to get the exact dishes right, I’ll have to update when I get the list.) The chefs were excited about food and about pleasing the diner, whether that be a top executive or hourly grunt.

Well, I just spent about half an hour writing captions for all these photos, and the computer ate them somehow. Until I put in a new plugin (I’m thinking something Flash based), you’ll just have to guess what each is. But they sure are purty!

What a busy foodie week…more tomorrow on Iron Chef, the AHA convention, and…oh yeah…tomorrow’s Taste of the Town in North Little Rock. Eat up!

ARKANSAS CHEF’S CULINARY CLASSIC PHOTOS

Award Winners:

Appetizer

1st Donnie Ferneau, Ferneau – Ahi Tuna nachos

2nd Adam Hanry, Ozark Conference Center – Pork rinds w/lime salt

3rd Will Hutchison, Pulaski Tech Culinary School – Slow Roast of Strip loin

Soup/Salad

1st Andre Poirot, Peabody Hotel – Wild Mushroom soup

2nd Ted Roman, Arlington Resort Hotel & Spa – Acorn Squash Bisque

3rd Osi Imomoh, Southland Park Gaming & Racing – Watermelon Splash Salad

Entrée

1st Jason Knapp, AR Governor’s Mansion – Seared filet of beef

2nd Joe Coleman, Peabody Hotel – Blue cheese stuffed beef roulade

3rd Donnie Ferneau, Ferneau – Beef wellington w/brie

Dessert

1st Adam Hanry, Ozark Conference Center – Standing ice cream cone

2nd Brian Cochrane, Pulaski Tech Culinary School – Almond Florentine

3rd Christian Alexander, Peabody Hotel – Cake & mousse dessert

Coleman Pride Award

Andre Poirot, Peabody Hotel – Wild Mushroom Soup

Best of Beef

Jason Knapp, AR Governor’s Mansion – Seared filet of beef

People’s Choice Award

Jamie McAfee, Pine Bluff Country Club – Asian Lamb Chop

Foodie Event: Ark. Chef’s Culinary Classic, Part 1

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I don’t have time to write the entire post this event deserved, but I had to give you a little taste of what hubs and I experienced tonight.

Tomorrow begins the Arkansas Hospitality Association’s annual convention and tradeshow. I love conventions — one of the things I actually miss from my PR days — and all the events that go with them. As a preview event, tonight AHA had many of the top chefs across the state prepare small dishes and compete for cash prizes.

Hubs and I ate all kinds of wonderful things, to the point that we were surprisingly stuffed from all those teeny plates. But the most fun, for me, was to visit with all the chefs and “talk foodie.” I just about had a spell listening to Chef Donnie Ferneau (of the restaurant Ferneau) explain to my hubs why his Saffron Shrimp Bisque reminded my man of his days in Charleston, SC. Something about classical French technique, velouté sauce, and I got a little woozy after that.

I’ll have an update of who all made what and won what, along with more photos of the participants, tomorrow or so. But for now, I just wanted to share a little taste.

London Broil Steak Salad from Hilton of Little Rock, and Wild Mushroom Soup and Tuna Tartare from The Peabody Hotel.

London Broil Steak Salad from Hilton of Little Rock, and Wild Mushroom Soup and Tuna Tartare from The Peabody Hotel.

My pick for winner of the night...simple, yet stunning. Roasted beef tenderloin w/compound butter sauce from Chef Jason Knapp of the Governor's Mansion.

My pick for winner of the night...simple, yet stunning. Roasted beef tenderloin w/compound butter sauce from Chef Jason Knapp of the Governor's Mansion.

Me eating tuna tartare for the first time. I was surprised I actually liked it.

Me eating tuna tartare for the first time. I was surprised I actually liked it.