On Monday, July 9, I got home from work and turned on the TV. I have my DVR set to tape the ABC show "The Chew" every day. When watching the show, I log on to their website and any of the recipes that strike my fancy, I pin them to my Pinterest board. It is my way of unwinding prior to my sweetie gets home and me making dinner. That day I noticed that there was a contest on the home page. Are you Julia Child's biggest fan? I am! Julia and her philosophy saved me. I have always loved to cook and have done so for years but while going through a recent difficult time in my life I found that Julia had a wonderful outlook on life, love and food. I decided to follow Julia's example. Open my heart up to love again and to cook for the love of cooking. This is basically what I said in my brief email to The Chew. I hit send thinking that it would go into email heaven and that would be that.
A half hour later I got an email from someone at The Chew. Before I opened it, I figured that it was a "thank you for participating" email and that would be it. It was not. It was an email from an associate producer asking if she could speak to me the next day. They were putting together an episode that would air on what would have been Julia Child's 100th Birthday. I couldn't believe it! That conversation started a three week whirl wind of emails, telephone interviews and a one minute audition video shot on my Blackberry by my daughter. I loved everyone I was speaking to. The producer, Vaia, was such a doll. I even confided in her that Michael Symon was my celebrity crush. I was so excited at the possibility of being chosen that even if I didn't get to go on the show I felt that I had won.
On Friday July 27 at 3:54pm I got the call. They wanted me to come to NYC on August 1st to tape an episode of The Chew. I couldn't believe it. I was jumping up and down at my desk and sharing my joy with my co-workers, whether they wanted to hear it or not!
The final discussion with Vaia was what dish I was going to make. I have three dishes that I have made that I am comfortable enough to make them in my sleep but I really wanted to make Beouf Bourguignon. This was the dish I used to woo my sweetie. I had chosen it to cook for him because that was the dish Judith Jones (the publisher of Mastering the Art of French Cooking) prepared that convinced her to publish the cookbook. It was a challenging dish that I told S about a few times but told him that I didn't have the proper pot to cook it in. He bought me a dutch oven and said "go for it". He took away my excuse and it became his favorite dish that I make. After a few emails I was told that I was getting my way and I was thrilled!
A high school friend had offered for me to stay with her and her family in the East Village the night before. So my daughter Marissa and I headed to NYC on Tuesday. We arrived at Grand Central Station at 5:05. Rush hour. Ros had given wonderful directions on how to get there via subway and we packed ourselves like sardines onto the 6 train going downtown. I am not cut out for living in the big city but this day I didn't mind the pushing, shoving and the honking. We had a wonderful time with my friend. We chatted over a wonderful dinner at a Guatemalan restaurant (whose name escapes me). We finally settled in for the night. I didn't sleep mush. I had visions of pearl onions and mushrooms dancing in my head. I finally dozed off only to be awoken at 5:30 am by my alarm.
We got to the studio and it was a whirl wind. We waited in the green room with the other 2 applicants. We were all excited and a little nervous but all happy to be a party of this special celebration. We were brought into the studio for rehearsal. When I walked out onto the stage and saw Michael Symon, Carla Hall, Daphne Oz and Clinton Kelly in person, i felt like I was in a dream. They could not have been kinder to me and my daughter.
Then it was time to roll it....it went by so fast. We were told if we won to act like we won Miss America. When they said my name acting did not play a factor. I was genuinely so excited I wanted to cry but my smile from ear-to-ear wouldn't let me.
I was getting to create a Julia Child recipe with Michael Symon. Really??? If you aren't a foodie it might not sound like a big deal but it is like being a baseball fan and being able to play catch using Ted Williams glove and throwing to Carl Yastrzemski. It meant the world to me. While they were at commercial break, I was trying to take all of this in. The whirlwind around me when they brought out all of my ingredients and reviewing everything with Michael. Right before coming back live my producer told me "to tell him". Tell who what? "Tell Michael he is your one, your crush"....I looked at her horrified and said "NOW?" and she said "no on the air" and I hear them counting 5,4,3,2,......OH MY LORD. Here I am in front of a live studio audience, next to the man that I adore and I am supposed to tell him that he is my one!? I am a pretty gutsy person but holy cow, i thought i was going to puke right into that pan I was cooking the beef in. As soon as Michael started talking I calmed down. He was real. A real person. A human being and I could do this. We had a great time and when the opportunity opened itself I revealed that he was my crush. He told me I made him blush....and he made my life!
This was definitely one of the top 10 days of my life....it will never be forgotten.
We came back to Western Massachusetts that afternoon. Marissa and I were exhausted but we had experienced a once in a lifetime deal and couldn't stop talking about it.
The day before it aired, I was interviewed on the local ABC station, WGGB by Dan and Kim. That was exciting in itself. They are building a kitchen on their set and I said I would love to come back and cook for them sometime!
WGGB Interview
It aired on August 15 and I was lucky enough to share viewing it for the first time with a lot of my co-workers. I brought in a sample of my signature dish, friends brought bread and cake. The electricity in the room was fantastic. I work with such awesome people. S opted to watch it at home alone. He texted me how proud he was of me.
Winning on The Chew
That night I went home and thanked him for being my own "Paul Child". The man who supports everything that I do. I might still have a crush on Michael Symon but he is the love of my life. He is the butter to my bread and the breath to my life.
Bon Appetit!
ps here is an article in the local paper. Julia Child went to Smith College, not too far from where I live. To be mentioned in the same article as she is was such an honor.
Julia Child and JeriLynne McDermott article
pps - Here is the recipe and pictures. Make it for someone you love....and they will be able to taste it!
Boeuf Bourguignon
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