I am pleased to post that I have been vetted and am now a new lifetime member of the Cambridge World Wide Directory of Professionals.  Cambridge is the who's who of professional listings.  I look forward to a long and fruitful interaction with the membership.


 FREE COOKING PROGRAMS IS NOW ON FACEBOOK!


FOLLOW MY RANTS AT:
http://thefoodmercenary.wordpress.com/ 



PLAN AN OUTRAGEOUS AND FUN EVENING OF DINING IN YOUR HOME!  CUSTOMIZED MENUS TO FIT ALL OCCASIONS!  HANDS ON CLASSES,  EXQUISITE FORMAL DINING, GRILLING SESSIONS, ETHNIC DINNERS & MORE ARE AVAILABLE. 
CONTACT ME AT: thefoodmercenary@hotmail.com
                
Under "I have too much spare time" I have launched another website Legions In Plastic Depot:
https://sites.google.com/site/172legionsinplasticdepot/
This website is the sister site to my ebay store.








 

The Great American Cooking Expo 2012  November 12-13th at the Arlington park Race Track was once again a fun and informative time for 1000's of attendees.

At the 1st Design Builders Chef demonstration stage newbie Chefs to the Expo emerged to entertain and feed a capacity FOODIE audience.  Chef Willis Song of Bop n Grill in Evanston ILL. lead the way starting Saturday's line-up. EVERY chef this weekend flashed style and a very well received sense of humor. The camaraderie among the chefs all weekend long was stellar. Each chef brought with them their own sense of humor that wove a great culinary quilt for the attendees. Chef author Beth Aldrich "Real Moms Love To Eat" had an extensive and very energetic presentation. I see the very real possibility of future collaboration with Beth and Willis in the future. I'll be dining at Bop n Grill and Wildfire soon...........:)
Chef Paul Guerrero from Wildfire Restaurant in Schaumburg was very personable and popular in front of a standing room audience. Then there was some guy going by the FoodMercenary moniker rounding out the line-up with a historical cooking class centering on The American Civil War. It was a pleasant surprise how well received the Civil War presentation was.  All four presentations were standing room only as close to 200 patrons were entertained and served at each presentation at the stage area.
Chef Aaron Weiner Started Sunday's line-up with a nice pork Scallopini. Aaron represented the Skills Cooking Academy well with a sharp wit and precise demonstration. That Foodmercenary guy showed up again and served up Polish Chili from book in progress "New Traditions In Polish Cooking" during a fast paced and very lively presentation after Aaron. Rounding out Sunday was the well traveled duo from Olive Tap Olive Oil Rick Petrocelly and Mario Olivi. The duo always have a very familiar warm presentation that is always a crowd favorite. Mario offered up a great line, describing recipes as "merely suggestions" when applied to cooking. Well said Mario. Some of the many pictures taken are on this Facebook link. You can meet the faces of those described here. Our best wishes and support are always prevalent for Michael Indovina, hospitalized and trying to heal. He is the founder and core of the Expo. Todd Lazzarotto, Mike's partner had a very full plate and was very ably up to the task.

Many times when chefs with varying experience and age, unfamiliar with one another and thrust into tight time slots in front of live audiences can make for edgy moments.  Sometimes these moments are down right mean and condescending, with envy and jealousy sprinkled with insecurity.  Not so this weekend.  It was the extreme opposite.  I have been party to many an exhibition.  This one had a very special humor to it.  It seemed laughter was the theme, the chorus so to speak.  There was so much positive electricity emitted from the chefs it was infectious to most and especially the audience who caught on quick to how much fun we were having.   NICE!