Alan Richman, dean of Food Journalism at FCI
I’ve just finished a six week course earning a specialized training certificate in the Craft of Food Writing at the French Culinary Institute taught by famed food writer Alan Richman– who possesses 14 unprecedented James Beard Awards in food journalism.
the aspiring food writers taking notes in class
In the class we learned how to properly format editorial pitches, write featured articles, service pieces and write restaurant reviews concluding the lessons with critiquing each other’s work. Some notable guest speakers included Gabriella Gershenson, Andy Kramer, and Steven Shaw.
Ching Huang, Susur Lee, Rina Oh, and Ming Tsai at the Lucky Rice Talk + Taste Event on May 8th
A few weeks later I got a chance to meet some serious star chefs, Ming Tsai, Susur Lee, and Ching Huang from the Cooking Channel at the Lucky Rice Festival Talk + Taste event on May 8th at Astor Center. I helped prep Ching’s steamed chicken with Chinese mushrooms, gogi berries with dried lily bulbs and vegetarian crispy beancurd rolls. The day concluded with Ming Tsai’s black bean Orecchiette made with spicy pork and broccoli. The demo room was filled with 150 guests as we ended the hard day’s work sharing a six pack of Singha beer with Ming Tsai. He charmed the cooks with his locker room stories after strolling in about an hour before the demo began.
Rina Oh and Ming Tsai
Ming Tsai is an Emmy award nominated television host of Simply Ming and co-hosted the James Beard Awards the day after the Talk and Taste event. Preceding the events that day, Chef Ming sent out about 400 covers at his famed restaurant Blue Ginger in Massachusetts, then hopped on the next flight to NYC to attend the demo and host the JBA the following day. Not too shabby for a busy celebrity chef who still manages to cook the line. I’m taking a rain check to venture out with Ming Tsai when he returns to New York and promise you my dear readers that I’ll have an exclusive interview with him very soon.
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