I’ve been lucky to have had some great “firsts” in my cooking life…first competition, first Food Network appearance, first win…and first front page!
This is the article that Sharon Thompson wrote, after our visit together earlier this year. I so look forward to working with Sharon in the future and really appreciate her coverage of me in the Herald Leader’s A La Carte Section.
I hadn’t seen the article before it came out, nor did I have any idea that my floating head would be on the front page! It was quite the shock that morning, especially before my morning cup of coffee.
Michael said, “Look, honey! You’re even before Billy Gillispie!” If you have just a tiny idea of how important UK basketball is here in Kentucky, you’ll know how HUGE it was to be on the front page with him! And you’ll also realize how behind I am in posting this, since Billy is loooong gone.
And here is the cover of the A La Carte section, which accurately predicted that my chicken burger would be a winner! The photo of my giant, open mouth is exactly why I have an aversion to candid photos 
And here I am with Guy Fieri! What a guy…if you can believe it, he’s even more charming, funny, and witty in person.
This may bring up questions about my choice in bread. Contrary to popular belief, my soggy bread wasn’t completely due to cutting my burgers in half (although I really did love all the emails and questions I’ve gotten, i.e. “I bet you’ll never cut a burger in half again!”)
For awhile after the Ultimate Recipe Showdown, the mere mention of “Texas Toast” made me shudder. I couldn’t even look at the freezer aisle, for fear that I would see the frozen, buttered bread that was originally purchased for me in lieu of the thick-sliced white bread I was so accustomed to using. The morning of the taping, I was given a brioche loaf that was gloriously gourmet (it was from PASTIS!), but far too fragile to contain the sauciness that is my ”three-napkin burger.”
But, in the wise words of Walter Cronkite, that’s the way it is. And in the end, Harold’s burger kicked my burger in the butt and I wouldn’t have wanted to lose to anyone else.
And just to be on the safe side, I did not cut my $50,000 burger in half.
With all due respect Brigitte, I have to disagree with you. I’m still angered that you didn’t beat Harold. I’d eat your burger rather than his any day of the week and twice on Sunday. I think the under-estimated power of the national pimiento lobby had something to do with the outcome.
haha, thanks Chris! i know i’ll always have a supporter in you
i thought beer & bacon could beat out pimientos & country ham. not that day! hope you’re well!
Brig look at all the pages you got in the paper! Congratulations and miss you! Can’t wait for you to make some yummy treats for me