In the Kitchen
Getting Fresh with Us! June 27 and June 30
June 27th, "Red, White, and Blue" banana split 
Elizabeth Winslow has 20 years experience in fine food preparation, catering and restaurant management. She has taught cooking classes in Mexico and in Texas, and is committed to helping clients gather together around the table. Elizabeth believes good food is the foundation for a happy life. She will lead young chefs in this special session for The Little Kitchen.
June 30th, Watermelon Jalapeno Salad
Co-creators Reyna Bishop and Jenna Grudza of chow baby! will present this cool salad for you to enjoy at 10:30 am Saturday.
Jen Grudza hails from the Mid-Atlantic States, several of them actually, but called Washington D.C. home for 7-years. After a brief stint in grassroots politics right out of college, Jen became a meeting-planner working exclusively for non-profit organizations.
One winter afternoon, while no doubt wearing a sweater, Jen made a life-altering decision. She decided that she would begin planning her exodus from D.C. in order to see what else was out there. A year and a half later, she had resigned her job, sold her house, bought a car, and packed up only what she needed to spend the next year on the road with her loyal dog, Link.
It didn't take a year before Jen found the place she wanted to start over in. After traveling from Philly to Anchorage and everywhere between, Jen decided on Austin, TX. Many of her friends and all of her family questioned this decision based on the fact that Austin is extremely hot in the summer and Jen owned many, many coats and sweaters.
In Austin, Jen discovered a macrobiotic culinary program, and vegan at that. After completing the bulk of the program and leading the kitchen for several school programs, Jen decided to venture out on her own. With the help of some amazing folks in the culinary community, Jen began picking up some catering gigs here and there as well as some personal chef work. One of the people she met was Reyna Bishop. chow baby! would follow soon after.
Jen lives in South Austin with her fiancé Skipper and their three dogs. She is passionate about two things: really great shoes, and not eating animals. Her favorite part about chow baby! is that for each meal she prepares and serves to her customers-she knows that no animals are being eaten-and that gets her a little choked up every time.
Reyna Bishop is a Texas girl for sure! She was raised in a small East Texas town, and after a brief stint in Costa Rica, made the rounds through Houston, San Antonio, and finally found her home in Austin. Reyna owes her early interest in healthful eating to her flower child mother, an organic gardener, amazing cook, and all around great lady. So! Despite roots in bacon grease and Crisco, Reyna was raised with many of the same good principles that you will find in all chow baby! meals today.
Reyna has a Master's degree in Nutrition and started her career as a Registered Dietitian working primarily with diabetic and obese patients. She eventually moved on to work in the pharmaceutical industry developing oncology drugs for patients with difficult to treat cancers. As a busy professional, Reyna found herself eating out often and was disheartened by the mostly fast food choices she was surrounded by.
Upon her arrival to Austin, Reyna discovered The Natural Epicurean, and with it, rediscovered her love of food and its power to heal and nourish. She also met her good friend and partner in crime, Jen Grudza. With a busy schedule both were struggling with the challenges of healthy eating. They decided to do something about it. And chow baby! was born.
Reyna lives with her husband Rob, two incorrigible dogs, and a seriously sassy cat in East Austin. She's got the greenest thumb around so you will often be enjoying the fruits of her labor in chow baby! meals.
posted June 27, 2007 | permanent link to this article
Todd Duplechan: Trio - The Four Seasons
Todd Duplechan
Chef de Cuisine – TRIO
Chef Duplechan will present an inviting and fresh Tomato and Watermelon Salad for market goers to this week's Tomato Me Crazy Festival (June 23rd). Please sit a spell in the shade of the Auction Oak and learn from a master what is good to eat, simply fresh. Demo is at 10:30 - 11:30 am with free tastings and recipes.
Originally interested in a career in architecture, Todd Duplechan's desire to create stunning works of art has always been evident. Luckily for Four Seasons, his focus changed from buildings to a decidedly smaller canvas - the dinner plate - when he was 18 years old.
Growing up in Dallas, Duplechan's affinity for cooking can be credited to his parents. "My family places high importance on knowing how to cook," said Duplechan, whose sister is also a chef.
These early familial influences eventually led to a position at a Dallas barbecue restaurant, followed by formal training at the Art Institute of Colorado. After earning his culinary arts degree, Duplechan worked at Tommy Tsunami in Denver, Co., where he learned the unique skill of sushi making.
Seeking to broaden his experience and culinary reach, Duplechan left Colorado to work at restaurants in Atlanta, Ga. and the Grand Cayman islands, followed by a six-month stay in Europe that included time on a Tuscan olive farm.
Duplechan switched gears in 2003, moving from Italy's bucolic countryside to the bustling streets and busy kitchens of New York City. Working first as sous chef at Danube, an Austrian restaurant led by world-renowned Chef David Bouley, Duplechan transferred across town in 2004 to become chef tournant at Tabla. There, he learned new techniques and concepts alongside restaurateur Danny Meyer and Chef Floyd Cardoz.
In August 2005, Duplechan became the executive sous chef at The Core Club - an invitation-only club serving New York City's elite. There, he was charged with executing the vision of consulting chef Tom Colicchio, best known for the Craft and Gramercy Tavern dining concepts.
Boasting a resume and culinary contacts many chefs would trade their favorite knife set for, Duplechan's decision to move to Texas may have seemed an unlikely next step. But according to the young chef, he was drawn by Austin's growing reputation as a dining destination and the city’s budding farm-to-table food scene.
A strong proponent of using fresh, organic produce whenever possible, Duplechan has quickly forged relationships with Central Texas vendors, becoming involved with farmer's markets and Edible Austin, an Austin periodical devoted to illuminating responsible agricultural methods and exposing diners to local food sources.
His interest in sustainable food is reflected in the menus he creates as chef de cuisine at Four Seasons Hotel Austin. In this role, Duplechan is responsible for managing day-to-day operations and forming the kitchen's philosophy. In 2007, he will also be tasked with assisting Executive Chef Elmar Prambs in the much-anticipated launch of Trio, the Hotel's new restaurant opening in August 2007.
"Todd's creativity and enthusiasm are the perfect complement to Elmar's culinary expertise and experience,' said Danielle Smith, food and beverage director. "Together, they will have a powerful influence on Austin' changing dining scene."
In his free time, Duplechan enjoys playing music, bicycle riding around Austin, and making his own beer and wine. Despite long hours at his day job, Duplechan also likes to cook at home with his wife, Jessica, a pastry chef.
posted June 16, 2007 | permanent link to this article
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