A few years ago, after finishing the program at the neighborhood cooking school, I wasn’t sure what to do — look into being a personal chef?  Catering?  Work in a restaurant kitchen?  I really was aimless.

God is good!  I can’t remember how, but a few weeks later, I found myself interviewing for an internship position at Lucques, one of the best restaurants in LA (and probably the country), under the tutelage of the exec chef and c0-owner, Suzanne Goin.  Say her name within certain circles and people gasp and repeat her name is disbelief: “THE Suzanne Goin?”.  I’d had NO restaurant experience at all, and they still took me in.  Lucky doesn’t even begin to cover it.

A few days later, there I was helping the pantry chef prepare salads and appetizers!  I couldn’t believe it.  I tried to soak up all the knowledge that kitchen had from one end of the line to the other; I’ll never forget when one of the guys handed me a butcher knife and showed me how best to (avert your eyes if you’re sensitive here folks!) chop off the head of a suckling pig. Oh man, I felt cool!

But apart from learning some truly wonderful things about food, I also treasure the fact that these people allowed me to become their friend.  We’d finish some weekend nights in the parking lot, sipping a beer and perhaps smoking a ciggie, talking about how the night went… I felt like I had been let into one of the coolest gangs around.  But my closest friends there were definitely Bernadette, the pantry chef, whose laugh reminded me of little bells ringing… and Breanne, the pastry chef, who always managed to look beautiful no matter how hot and sweaty it got in the kitchen.

Sweet sweet Breanne! (Photo by Jenn Garbee)

Oh, and don’t get me started on her desserts.  I’m spoiled forever.  I’ll never forget this one dessert she concocted: homemade (of course!) vanilla ice cream, candied mandarin segmets, mandarin sorbet, and tiny shavings of bittersweet chocolate in between.  I didn’t think I’d like it — just give me a hunk of chocolate for dessert and I’m happy.  Don’t sully it with fruit!  But, I am forever changed.  I still remember the clouds opening as I let that first bite dissolve on my tongue — it was mind altering!  It takes a lot for someone to change my mind on what flavours I like in my dessert, but this girl did it.  She’s magic.

I’m really proud of her because today, the LA Weekly profiled her adorable Ghost cupcakes. Check ‘em out, and give my sweet friend (no pun intended), a pat on the back!  She totally deserves it!

If you want more Breanne, check out her blog, Bites of Sugar.  If you’re thinking of dessert possibilities, might as well learn from the best, right?

-x-
aarti