A Culinary Experience

Last week, while in New York, I was lucky enough to participate in the TIA holiday party. Typically, the holiday party is pretty awesome. My first year at TIA, we had a private party at the Hard Rock Cafe in Times Square. My second year we did a walking tour of Grand Central Station (awesome btw) followed by lunch at a great place that I no longer remember (Lindsay, help me out!) and last year we had a 50's-style diner lunch (again, the name of the place escapes me) followed by a matinee of Jersey Boys. Can we say AWESOME?!

Well, this year, the fabulous Holiday Party Planners (aka Robyn and Lindsay) of TIA were able to top all other years. This year, we all donned Chefs hats and went to cooking school at the Institute of Culinary Education. Yes, that's right, we got to learn how to make some amazing food from top chefs and then partake in one of the best meals I've had in a while.

Upon our arrival, we were treated to 3 delicious appetizers and some adult beverages (kid beverage for me, of course). The apps included Mini Grilled Cheese Sandwiches with "Tomato Soup" Dip, Garlic-Grilled Shrimp with Almond Romesco Sauce on Toasted Pita Rounds and (my favorite) Mini "Beef Wellingtons" with Mushrooms, Truffle and Chives. Is your mouth watering yet? Just wait. :)

After receiving our aprons and chefs hats, we headed to the kitchen where we met our Chef leads. We split up into 3 groups and started preparing our lunch. On the menu:

• Fall "Panzanella" Bread Salad with Roasted Acorn Squash, Mushrooms, Roasted Peppers, Arugula, Hazelnuts served in a Parmesan Bowl with Champagne Vinaigrette
• Strip Loin of Beef with Truffled Demi-Glace, Twice Baked Stuffed Potatoes with Sour Cream and Chives, Sauteed Haricot Verts (aka string beans)
• Baked Apple Pancake with Vanilla Ice Cream and Caramel Sauce

Again, are you salivating? I headed over to help with the dessert where my main job was to butter the ramekins. And let me tell you, those ramekins were BUTTERED!! Everyone really got into it and seemed to have a really great time.


I also played a very central role in making the string beans...as in, I made them all on my own!! And they tasted DAMN good! :)

Once lunch was prepared, we were able to enjoy it. There is something very satisfying about eating a meal that you prepared and that tastes great. It was a truly great day and it just solidified my feelings that I work with a wonderful group of people.

P.S. Paul, our CFO, won last chef standing. He kept his Chefs hat on through the entire lunch and didn't even realize it was on until it was pointed out in a lovely toast made by my awesome boss. You can see him in the above photo. What a happy guy!!