Leslie Seaton
I am a writer, currently writing for BuddyTV, and a home cook whose ambitions far far outstrip her abilities and few years of cooking experience.
I’ve been working in a local Seattle cooking school/shop for over the past year, where I have had the chance to learn a great deal. An unanticipated side effect, though, was becoming slightly further demoralized as close proximity with some incredibly talented Seattle-area chefs crystallized for me how much I have yet to learn to simply become just adequate in the kitchen. It's now a known unknown; it's a little daunting.
I also recently was able to interview almost all of the chefs from the Season 4 of Top Chef for Buddy. Those interviews, of course, wound up being focused much of the time on the mechanics of the reality TV process; nevertheless, they were additional insight into what it takes to make great food. (The interviews also confirmed that I am completely and utterly fascinated – bordering on obsessed – with the people who make really great food.)
I am using this blog as an opportunity to track my progress as I continue to attempt to meet my culinary ambitions. I’ve found I learn best when I have to process information by writing about it. The act of writing and synthesis involved seem to be the most efficient way to permanently fix the knowledge in my brain, so writing about cooking has now become integral to my learning about cooking.
I am also somewhat informally maintaining the Seattle Food Events Calendar, both out of my sheer dorky enthusiasm for this town I am still getting to know (moved here in June of ’05) and because of my own special combo of bossiness (do this now!) and tendency towards bacchanalian encouragement (do this fun thing now!). If you are considering visiting the Puget Sound area and want any food-related itinerary advice, email me!