I grew up with a mother who was the embodiment of a 鈥渉ostess with the mostest.鈥 Martha Stewart had nothing on this domestic goddess. She always made her creations look fashionable, gorgeous and delicious, and she did it all on a dime.
Needless to say, assisting my mom in the kitchen during her fabulous parties was a must. My sister and I would dress up in our party outfits, don vintage aprons and pass the hors d'oeuvres. Looking back, I think that鈥檚 where my penchant for entertaining began.
Yet despite my deep appreciation for my mother鈥檚 entertaining style, I never expected to end up in the kitchen myself. For me, baking started innocently, as all hobbies do: a chocolate chip cookie here; a pizzelle there; a wedding cake for a gluten-free friend.
People started to tell me (often) "You should open a bakery." I laughed it off thinking, "Riiiiight鈥 musical theatre actor and night owl should definitely get up at 4 am to start baking bread." Not in this lifetime.
Baking was just a sublime obsession, a creative outlet outside of my day-to-day grind of auditions and rehearsals. It was also a great way to make new friends. Nothing says 鈥渂e my BFF鈥 like freshly baked muffins, cake or pie. (Seriously, just try it.)
More and more, I found myself day-dreaming at auditions about what kind of baked good I would tackle that night. I would rush home with an hour or two between commitments to bake a cake, French macarons or cookies, and then go out for the night. It suddenly became my routine, and boy did I love the challenge.
Suddenly, I found myself in the kitchen three or four times a week. Singing had always been my first love, but baking? Baking was quickly becoming the dark horse. My baking addiction got so out of hand that I actually found myself competing for baking domination on a Food Network show where I was the only home chef.
I clearly could not hang with the big boys on national television, but I so desperately wanted to. I am creative and fast and loose in the kitchen, but I quickly learned that, when it comes to baking, a strong foundation in technique is truly what gives a chef freedom. I started researching pastry programs, seeking a curriculum that felt serious but not confining鈥攁 course that would teach me how to create something classic, but then encourage me to color outside of the lines. I found that place in ICE.
With my reckless tendencies in the kitchen, I鈥檝e found weighted measurements to be a challenge (and I鈥檓 certainly keeping my fellow classmates on their toes). That said, I鈥檝e discovered that I love having to follow direction. It is so fascinating to find out why ingredients are incorporated at different points in the process and about the different chemical reactions behind seemingly basic sweets.
I love watching my classmates鈥 eyes light up, triumphant when their bread comes out of the oven, or when my instructor explains to me why my pastry cream has never, ever, ever set-up correctly. (It鈥檚 ALL in the wrist.) I feel all abuzz with knowledge and confidence when I leave class each day, and immediately go back to my home kitchen to practice what I鈥檝e learned. I invite you to follow me as I embark on this wild new adventure, attempting to transform into the master baker that I feel I was always destined to become.
Click here to learn more about ICE's career program in Pastry & Baking Arts.
