Q: What is your professional background?
A: I graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Restaurant, Hotel and Institutional Management. During the summer before my senior year of college, I was a food and beverage intern at a Marriott hotel. Post-graduation, I accepted a fantastic position with ARAMARK. After nearly eight years (both studying and working) in the hospitality industry, I switched fields and made the move to finance (where I currently work for an investment bank).
Q: I want to start a blog, but I’m not sure of a topic. Why did you choose to write about food?
A: My passionate love affair with food began around age 3 or 4 (I’m not sure why children take an interest in specific things, but I can clearly recall that my first two loves were food and jewelry). I began cooking for my friends and preparing family dinners in elementary school, and by junior high school, I ordered my first subscription of Gourmet Magazine (while the rest of my peers were reading “YM” or “Seventeen”). Clearly for me, food is much more than nourishment.
If you want to start blogging, choose a topic that you’re extremely passionate about because this will make writing much more easy and enjoyable.
Q: What prompted you to start a blog?
A: Four years ago, I got a job at a start-up hedge fund, where among other tasks, I managed special events and daily catered lunches for 100+ employees. After having found the website, chow.com, I was amazed by how many poster’s had blogs. That’s when I decided to jump on the bandwagon. Initially, “The Lunch Belle” was intended to be a pseudo “sounding board” where I could vent/praise both the restaurants that I worked with on a daily basis, and those that I chose to try/frequent off-the-clock.
Q: Do you have to be a “human Zagat guide,” chef, A+ English and grammar student, or computer whiz to start your own food blog?
A: Absolutely not! Actually, I don’t consider myself to be any of the last four mentioned, though I have been called a “human Zagat guide” (and yes, I would agree). Honestly, there's really only two things you need to start a blog: Passion and belief in yourself.
When I started The Lunch Belle, I had no intention of anyone reading it except my family, friends and the occasional board contributor on chow.com. It wasn’t until I received an overwhelming amount of positive praise and feedback (and an offer to write a brunch review for a magazine), that I began thinking, “Hey, maybe I have something here.”
I’m not a classically trained French chef, a computer genius, nor do I always have perfect spelling/grammar. I’m just a girl who loves food and has a damn good time writing about it.
Q: Do you receive comments from your blog posts?
A: Yes, I receive both comments and inquiries. While most of the feedback is positive, I do get a negative comment every now and then. I appreciate constructive criticism and respect those who disagree with my personal opinion of a restaurant(s). However, if a commenter wants to knit-pick for the occasional misspelling of “mirepoix,” or the fact that I prefer to drink my dessert wine with dinner, etc., I just have to laugh.
Q: I see that Mexican food is your favorite cuisine, though I’m confused: Isn’t a food blogger supposed to only eat fancy stuff with foams and weird sauces?
A: Hell no (at least I don’t think so)! While I do enjoy the occasional meal at restaurant specializing in molecular gastronomy or nouveau French cooking, deep down, I’m a very simple girl. When I think of the word “indulgence,” the first thing that pops in to my head is “cheese enchiladas,” not “foie gras.”
Blogging should be whatever you want it to be, from fun to serious. There are no rules! Don’t ever let anyone tell you that your opinion doesn’t matter or that you’re not qualified to write about a particular subject.
Q: If you were on death row, what would you choose for your last meal on earth?
A: Oh my, it would be a gluttonous smorgasbord! Here goes:
- Child’s Mexican plate (one cheese enchilada with “old fashioned” green sauce, one beef taco, rice and beans) and chile con queso from The Riviera Restaurant (in El Paso, TX)
- A pint of Haagen Dazs Reserve Fleur de Sel Caramel Ice Cream
- Pate de fruits and macaroons from Laduree (in Paris)
- Reese’s White Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups
- Vanilla cupcake from Buttercup Bakeshop or Alice's Teacup (NYC)
Q: My best friend recently got engaged and I’m in charge of organizing the bachelor/ette party. Where should we go?
Q: I’m coming to NYC next week and want some restaurant recommendations near my hotel. Can you help?
Q: I’m taking this great girl out on a first date tomorrow. Where should we go for a nice, romantic dinner (with short notice)?
Q: My son’s birthday is next week. Can you recommend a great bakery that delivers cakes to my neighborhood?
Q: Where is the city’s best margarita?
Q: We’re going to Paris next month, and I see that you’ve been recently. What are some of your favorite restaurants and food shops?
A: Email me! I’m gratefully here to help: the_lady_who_lunches@thelunchbelle.com
Tuesday, September 29, 2009 at 10:05PM