Behind the Line
Topic: Background
It's All in the Past: Food Memories
Think way back to your first tasty experiences. What are your earliest memories about food?
- Nate Hamilton
- Chef de Cuisine
- Harvest
- Madison, WI
My mom's chicken pot pie, and her goulash. Both of which I still try to recreate for staff meal every so often. She still knocks the pie out practically every time I make it home. The goulash isn't...
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In your school days, what was your favorite lunchbox item?
- Andrew Wilson
- Chef
- Carneros Bistro & Wine Bar
- Sonoma, CA
Tasty Cake Crumpets! You could eat all the sponge cake away, leaving you with three glorious jelly balls!
Thinking broadly, what overall influence did food have in your childhood?
- Andrew Wilson
- Chef
- Carneros Bistro & Wine Bar
- Sonoma, CA
I came from a large family, five kids. Food was always part of family gatherings and celebrations when I was growing up. We'd get together with aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandma for Thanksgivin...
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Are there any foods from your childhood that you still recreate to this day?
- Carlo Lamagna
- Executive Chef
- Benny's Chop House
- Chicago, IL
I still make my dad's pork adobo. Growing up it was always around and any leftovers just got better the next day. I was fortunate enough to finally learn how to make it when I was in my 20's and ...
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When recalling those extra-special culinary moments in life, what is your favorite food memory?
- Carlo Lamagna
- Executive Chef
- Benny's Chop House
- Chicago, IL
Best food memory that hits it every time is when we moved to the Philippines when I was 11. So my grandparents lived about 4 1/2 hours away and so we all got into the car and made our way over. A...
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Recall running down the street after the ice cream truck. What was your favorite treat from the ice cream truck?
- Nate Hamilton
- Chef de Cuisine
- Harvest
- Madison, WI
Those orange-vanilla push pops. I'm still crazy about those flavors and am going to work them into some kind of frozen parfait or semifreddo once summer comes around again.
Whether you still eat it today, or it's mostly a memory, is there a dish that most reminds you of childhood?
- Ashlee Aubin
- Executive Chef
- Wood
- Chicago, Illinoise
My favorite meal from childhood, was my mom's tacos. I still make them to this day, to the horror of my chef friends. Mission White Flour over-sized Tortillas. Chi~Chi's canned salsa (When I can...
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What influence did desserts have in your childhood?
- Leigh Omilinsky
- Pastry Chef
- Sofitel Chicago Water Tower/ Cafe des Architectes
- Chicago/IL
My mom was a great cook but desserts were a special item in our house. We didn't have them very often. I always loved desserts because they were pretty and made people happy. They were the guilty ...
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We've all got annual birthday cake traditions. What was your favorite birthday cake growing up?
- Leigh Omilinsky
- Pastry Chef
- Sofitel Chicago Water Tower/ Cafe des Architectes
- Chicago/IL
I was a sucker for fun-fetti boxed cake. I still kind of am!
What was the biggest "fail" dish or meal you've ever cooked?
- Carlo Lamagna
- Executive Chef
- Benny's Chop House
- Chicago, IL
Ha. I had no clue what I was doing but I wanted to make fried chicken and gravy with mashed potatoes. I under fried the chicken, put too much roux into my gravy so it was actually solid and my ma...
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What's your favorite food memory from the school cafeteria?
- Ashlee Aubin
- Executive Chef
- Wood
- Chicago, Illinoise
I loved chicken nugget day. I think really, it was my love of dipping sauces. Mustard, BBQ, Ketchup, Ranch, Honey Mustard, Mayo, Hot Sauce. I still love dipping things. We make all types of dip...
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What's the most romantic meal you've ever cooked?
- Carlo Lamagna
- Executive Chef
- Benny's Chop House
- Chicago, IL
The most romantic meal was actually the first time I went on a date with my wife. I met her on her 30th birthday and asked her out the following week. She actually agreed (much to my surprise) an...
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Got any childhood holdovers (animal crackers, Atomic fireballs, fluffernutters...)?
- Leigh Omilinsky
- Pastry Chef
- Sofitel Chicago Water Tower/ Cafe des Architectes
- Chicago/IL
Nilla wafers! I still love them!
Growing up, what was your favorite after-school snack?
- John Anderes
- Chef
- Telegraph
- Chicago, Illinois
Cheezits.