Food Network: Where it all began

                  The Food Network:

                   Where it all started

         Back in the early 2000s, I stumbled upon what was to become the catalyst for my passion for cooking; Food Network. Watching cooking shows with my brother is one of my favorite things to do! Our gateway into cooking was a show we would watch on Sundays with my dad called Yan Can Cook. We were fascinated at uncovering the mystery behind cooking; more specifically Asian cusine. Being that we are an Italian family, we were mesmerized by watching chef cook other cuisenes that were vastly different from what we were used to.

    It was around that time that we began to seek out more and more cooking programs. We hit the "mother load" when we discovered the fast-paced world of competition cooking; more specifically Iron Chef America. We get so into it, cheering for our favorite contestants and getting inspired to try new recipes together.

        It was around that time that I worked in the real estate industry. It was a small company where I was employed as a file clerk. During my time there, I learned a lot about the business. I had to. Especially because at that point, the industry was booming. The company was expanding. We went from a handful of employees to nearly twenty in a short time. Business was so good, that college didn’t seem necessary. Until the bottom fell out and the housing market collapsed. People were being investigated, businesses were closing, and hundreds were laid off-including me.

Newly unemployed, I had oodles of time on my hands. “What the hell am I going to do today?” was a question I asked myself daily. Following a fruitless job search, I turned on the TV and flipped through the channels, I came across 30 Minute Meals with Rachel Ray. This show resonated with me because she was young, approachable, and easygoing. She was a regular person cooking affordable, simple meals designed to be easily recreated for home cooks. She wasn’t intimidating or overly technical. I instantly identified with that.  It was then, the fire that fueled my passion for cooking was ignited and was burning hot!

Over the next few weeks, I watched hours of cooking tutorials, competition cooking, and cooking on a budget-it didn’t matter. I watched all of it. I was fascinated. I began studying these chefs like I was taking a final. I analyzed everything they did-right down to the way they held their knife. After a while, I decided to put my knowledge to the test, get off my couch and cook a meal. So, I printed some recipes and added them to my homemade cookbook. It was a collection of recipes that I tried and loved. (in those days, it was the only way to do it.) 

Well, needless to say, it was not pretty at first. There was A LOT of trial and error. I burned some things, (myself included), undercooked others, and thankfully never hospitalized anyone. Some recipes I was able to recreate with little difficulty. I was cooking something new every day.  I had found a new passion. Feeling pumped about my success I then tried my hand at some more challenging recipes. Whomp Whomp. The joke was on me. I had a swift reality check. I was not as skilled as I may have thought. I didn’t let that stop me. 

After a year or so of unemployment, I am proud to say, that I very seldom burn or overcook food now. I taught myself the basic foundations of cooking. I did it! The best education I could have ever received was in my living room. To this day, Food Network is still my “go-to” for recipes, entertainment, and education. It just goes to show that you do not need to be a classically trained chef to cook great food. It doesn’t even need to be perfect. There is always room for growth. Don’t let cooking be overwhelming. Just get in there, make a mess, and have fun with it. Some of the best dishes I’ve ever made are when I am not stressed, relaxed, and not fixated on doing every single thing perfectly. As long as you cook from the heart you’ll find you’re way to success.