www.winesimple.com — and now a word from… — APRIL/MAY 2005 A Canned Illusion
A life in food television isn’t as easy as it looks; in fact, sometimes it’s not what it looks like at all.
any moons ago, I found myself big grins and lots of flirting. My col- Min a small television-studio bath- league, Michael Lomanaco, former chef room having a crying jag over a failed at Windows on the World, quickly be- ginger flan. It seemed my life and my cul- came my older brother who kept the wolves inary career were over. Fortunately, some- at bay. One older man with gnarled hands one extricated me from the recesses of my gave me a brilliant yellow starfish as S I W private asylum and convinced me to re- E large as a dinner plate. But the tall, dark L
T A turn to the kitchen. P stranger who truly won my heart served I’ve put more than 1,000 television me a sandwich made of hearty, home- cooking shows beneath my belt since my made semolina bread, freshly marinated food and television career started 12 years anchovies and olive oil — a Sicilian fish- ago — and I’ve endured what seems like erman’s breakfast. a thousand life lessons similar to that of Michael explained that the boats go the failed flan. I started as a lowly unpaid out at night with great lanterns to simu- apprentice with former Atlanta resident chopped, lettuces are always cleaned and that afternoon. He sent it overnight for late the moon and draw the anchovies and Southern cooking expert Nathalie twenty-pound turkeys cook during two- our luncheon the following day. The fish into the nets. The men take a few fish Dupree. Since then, I’ve cooked for Presi- minute commercial breaks. Watch care- was so tender and succulent it really from the first catch and remove the bones. dent Clinton, Michelin-starred chef Roger fully and sometimes you will see there is seemed a shame to cook it. They place the filets in a bowl and drizzle Vergé and Aretha Franklin, and I’ve made actually no real cooking in front of the While everything did not turn out per- them with freshly squeezed lemon juice Lapin Moutarde à la Normande with camera. It’s all an illusion. There is, how- fect all the time (and, yes, those times and olive oil, then heartily season the mix Julia Child. My work has taken me from ever, always an army of cooks behind the could be less than pleasant), while work- with salt and pepper. The fish cures during picking yellow lemons on the steep, sunny scenes really getting the job done. ing with Martha, we were surrounded by the night much like ceviche or escabèche. cliffs of Amalfi, Italy, to the cold, windy first-rate people who gave 150 percent, When they return in the morning with coast of Connecticut, where I tasted an “Living” With Martha and we had seemingly limitless resources. their catch, breakfast is ready. oyster straight from the salty waters of As one might imagine, at Martha Stew- I was well compensated and I, too, learned Despite what goes on for the cameras, the Atlantic. art, where I was kitchen director, there something new every day. Who could the people I meet in my work and trav- From my jobs with Dupree, I moved was no illusion of much of anything and ask more? els are very real. Expressing the joy and on to France to learn cookbook writing a very real emphasis on perfection. (And, Eventually it was time to move on. passion I have for them and my profes- with culinary expert Anne Willan and yes, Martha really does want to learn some- When I resigned from MSL, I didn’t know sion is perhaps impossible — much like then was an editor for The All New Joy of thing new every day.) Instead of sending if it was the right career move. But two that odd Sicilian breakfast, which had a Cooking. But the sirens of television called a lackey to the market, it was my job to weeks after my arrival at Epicurious, they taste beyond words. In this world of food my name, which led me to work with go to Union Square and the myriad of asked me if I would go to Italy for a few television, so much of the atmosphere is grill master Bobby Flay and eventually to Manhattan markets several times a week. weeks. I had hit the food TV jackpot. manufactured; so much that seems real is the kitchen door of Martha Stewart Living More than once, I found myself bundled They wanted to pay me for this?! not. But I am thankful and blessed. I am Television. I’ve also traveled the world with up on a cold morning perusing a case or well fed in the spirit, the soul and the Epicurious TV and am now the produc- two of pears for the perfect, unblemished Breakfast In Italy table, and that is something that is most er for the Turner South television show dozen with stems and leaves attached. A few weeks later, our crew pulled up to certainly not an illusion. “Home Plate.” Working for Martha was incredible. a remote harbor in Sicily around 5:30 Food television, at its best, is entertain- People often ask was she nice, was she a.m. as the boats were coming in. It was ment and education. Sometimes it’s just mean, and on and on. Frankly, the experi- barely light, and I soon realized I was one Virginia Willis is a culinary television pro- one or the other. In the worst circum- ences were astonishing. When we cooked of three women among 500 fishermen on ducer based in Atlanta and author of Pasta stances it’s neither. In any case, it is often for President Clinton, I called a fisherman the dock. Dinners 1,2,3 and co-author of Home a grand illusion. Herbs are miraculously in Alaska and had him go catch a salmon They greeted us with leering whistles, Plate Cooking.
58 I the wine report