franandaj
I'm so happy, I could BOUNCE!
- Joined
- Nov 15, 2009
So last weekend I learned that if you want to get into a Celebrity Chef demo, you evidently have to be there at the park opening, get in line and just wait it out. I had four demos that I wanted to see this year. The first, Guy Fieri, we didnt even leave Long Beach before his demo started, and arrived well after it was over. The second Sunny Anderson, she cancelled. The Third, Robert Irvine was closed at 11:00AM and we didnt get there until 12:30, so with lessons learned from now on if I want to go to a Celebrity Chef Demo, get there at park opening and camp it out and wait.
This week the chef was Anne Burrell, and I was determined to be in her demo and taste her food since I had not been in any other demo this year. I arrived at the parks by just after 8AM, when I arrived at the Chefs stage they line hadnt started. I went and did a little shopping and by the time I got back at about 9:15 a line had started, so I figured it was time to get in line. The first ten of us in line were all ladies and as I chatted up the other ladies in the line I found that most of them had waited in other lines together throughout the Festival, they affectionately referred to each other as their Food & Wine Family. One group was a mother / daughter team who the mother was retired and the daughter was unfortunately unemployed, so while she was looking for a job, she took her days without interviews to use the AP they had purchased last year to come out and enjoy the F&W demos.
I met a couple of other ladies all of whom were Disney fanatics and foodies, who were all AP holders and just liked the idea that they could use their days off, or even take vacation days to do something that really didnt cost extra as they already had the APs. I decided that next year, I was going to join this fun family of crazy foodies for those chefs that I really was interested in seeing.
While waiting in line, there was CM assigned to us to make sure that anyone in line stayed here (for the most part) and monitored us when we wanted to go out for lunch or bathroom breaks. I took the opportunity to go to the Farmers Market and try the Buffalo Chicken Wrap which was one of the special F&W offerings. It was Chicken Tenders with Blue Cheese, Buffalo Sauce, and Chopped Celery.
It wasnt as good as it sounded, while everything sounded really good, I think the fact that it was cold and the chicken wasnt hot and crispy made a big difference in the flavor. I think if they had been cooked to order with hot chicken it would have been more successful.
Its kind of funny in the picture in the container you cant tell that it is in a spinach tortilla!
So after waiting 4 or so hours we are let into the demo area. I was seventh in line and that put me right front and center. Notice all the utensils and things on the counter in front of the chef.
Anne Burrell was hilarious! She had us all laughing and kept us completely entertained while offering a great presentation on how to cook some great food.
Notice how by this point, she has cleaned off the counter so that we could see her better, it was quite humorous how she did this, but it was one of those, you had to be there sort of moments.
She was animated and so entertaining we all had a great time at her demo.
She made a rustic Monkfish stew with clams that was excellent and seemed pretty simple. I cant wait to try it at home, it was delicious!
During the demo she mentioned that black pepper had no place in her kitchen
Afterwards at the autograph session I told her that it was very possible that I could fall in love with her, but she didnt like pepper and I carry a pepper grinder in my purse so it would never work between the two of us and she echoed that sentiment! 
Next up, Taste and an extra special surprise!
This week the chef was Anne Burrell, and I was determined to be in her demo and taste her food since I had not been in any other demo this year. I arrived at the parks by just after 8AM, when I arrived at the Chefs stage they line hadnt started. I went and did a little shopping and by the time I got back at about 9:15 a line had started, so I figured it was time to get in line. The first ten of us in line were all ladies and as I chatted up the other ladies in the line I found that most of them had waited in other lines together throughout the Festival, they affectionately referred to each other as their Food & Wine Family. One group was a mother / daughter team who the mother was retired and the daughter was unfortunately unemployed, so while she was looking for a job, she took her days without interviews to use the AP they had purchased last year to come out and enjoy the F&W demos.
I met a couple of other ladies all of whom were Disney fanatics and foodies, who were all AP holders and just liked the idea that they could use their days off, or even take vacation days to do something that really didnt cost extra as they already had the APs. I decided that next year, I was going to join this fun family of crazy foodies for those chefs that I really was interested in seeing.
While waiting in line, there was CM assigned to us to make sure that anyone in line stayed here (for the most part) and monitored us when we wanted to go out for lunch or bathroom breaks. I took the opportunity to go to the Farmers Market and try the Buffalo Chicken Wrap which was one of the special F&W offerings. It was Chicken Tenders with Blue Cheese, Buffalo Sauce, and Chopped Celery.
It wasnt as good as it sounded, while everything sounded really good, I think the fact that it was cold and the chicken wasnt hot and crispy made a big difference in the flavor. I think if they had been cooked to order with hot chicken it would have been more successful.
Its kind of funny in the picture in the container you cant tell that it is in a spinach tortilla!
So after waiting 4 or so hours we are let into the demo area. I was seventh in line and that put me right front and center. Notice all the utensils and things on the counter in front of the chef.
Anne Burrell was hilarious! She had us all laughing and kept us completely entertained while offering a great presentation on how to cook some great food.
Notice how by this point, she has cleaned off the counter so that we could see her better, it was quite humorous how she did this, but it was one of those, you had to be there sort of moments.
She was animated and so entertaining we all had a great time at her demo.
She made a rustic Monkfish stew with clams that was excellent and seemed pretty simple. I cant wait to try it at home, it was delicious!
During the demo she mentioned that black pepper had no place in her kitchen
Afterwards at the autograph session I told her that it was very possible that I could fall in love with her, but she didnt like pepper and I carry a pepper grinder in my purse so it would never work between the two of us and she echoed that sentiment!
Next up, Taste and an extra special surprise!
I'm soooo hoping we'll be able to get over there next year...that would be soo much fun!
