Where it all began...

As one admires another in a profession, a person will most certainly say to themselves, "That is exactly what I want to do for the rest of my life." They will look upon them and say, "They make it look so easy" and followed by, "I wouldn't even know where to begin."

Fact is, everyone started somewhere.

Growing up in a home where my mother had watched and owned everything relating to Julia Child and Pasquale Carpino, smells were coming out of the kitchen.  Some would make your mouth water, others, well lets just say they were not so desirable.

Before I was in public school, every day I would hear Pasquale singing in the morning, and my mom in some attempt to recreate the masterful dish that was set before her on the glowing box in the living room, volume at full blast, as she was in the kitchen scrambling around to see if the ingredients were at hand. 

As funny as it sounds, I had my own influences.

A TV show I would watch as a youngster was "Just like Mom" which was broadcast every day on CFTO in Toronto.  Similar to the version of "The Newlywed Game" IT was a show about relationships with mothers and their children, however there is only one thing I could remember.  The Cook Off!

The three guests of the show, had 60 seconds to put together any number of ingredients that were in front of them, and the mothers would have to try each baked delight and guess which item belonged to their child.  Sometimes, the mothers faces would light up as their taste buds savoured every chew and others, came flying out and hidden away in a napkin.  The ingredients were basic. Flour, eggs, milk, baking soda with other ingredients as well.  Chocolate chips, candies, pickles, mustard, ketchup.  Needless to say, some of the faces of the mothers were priceless.

My second influence goes right to the late John Ritter based on his character Jack Tripper in "Three's Company"  Although, being as young I was, what I remember were the follies, Mr Roper and his "bell" hand expression and Jack always in the kitchen.  He was funny, hilarious expressions and yes, he was a Chef!

Did I say 2? I guess I really should say 3 inspirations.  The last one of course being, The Swedish Chef. (Go Jim Henson)

It wasn't until a few years later that the appreciation and passion for culinary grew inside of me once again.

Many times, I would be experimenting in the kitchen when my mother had fallen asleep, or if she stepped away from cooking dinner, I would be in there, tasting it, adding things and being quite creative myself.  It was funny, many times we would be eating and the dishes would be something to desire, and it never came to mind, that many times, it was because I was in there fiddling with what was on the stop top.  As every child helps baking the muffins or cookies, I just didn't stop there.  I was watching my uncle John on the BBQ, watching mom prepare turkey and ham dinners for the holidays and my grandma.. well.. some people just shouldn't be in the kitchen, haha.

This my friends, is where it started.  It wasn't an experience that happened by watching some one do something courageous or a dramatic moment in life but by a few childhood memories.  By the sounds of a Chef singing his heart out on TV, kids creative creations and the expressions of some unfortunate moms who had been there to taste them, A man living with 2 females who made the live studio audience scream with laughter and a puppet on some one's hand with the famous catch phrase, "Bork  Bork Bork."

That's where it all began.

Craigory.