xiiiAbout the Authors
LINDA BELLINGHAM
Ever since I was young, I have been interested in the
production of good-tasting and eye-tantalizing food.
My fi rst memory of working with food takes me back
to the age of fi ve when I snuck one of my mom’s sauce-
pans out into the fall garden. After coercing my dad to
make a small fi re in his camp stove, I proceeded to select
fresh vegetables from the garden, then sliced and diced
them to make my fi rst ratatouille.
A number of instructors in both high school and college
encouraged me to be creative artistically and to continue
down the food path. Actually my journey to the present
reminds me of a path that is built with stepping stones.
As I stand on one stone, another stone of opportunity is
presented to me and I get to move further down the path.
I know many people have detours and forks in their
career journeys, but my path has been very direct.
When I graduated from college with a bachelor’s degree
in home economics and education, I taught high school
home economics. Th at job lasted two years until the fi rst
of my two sons was born. While spending a few years at
home with my young children, I started a gourmet dinner
club with friends. I just couldn’t ignore the call to be
creative with food. When events in my life forced me to
seek a full-time job, I applied for work at a trendy cater-
ing business that also housed and supported a branch of
the Institute of Culinary Arts where entry-level people
were being trained to work in commercial kitchens. Th e
job I applied for was a multi-hat position as instructor of
the institute, chef for the catering business, and general
kitchen support. Part of my interview for the job required
that I do a demonstration of paté choux for the owner
and the kitchen manager. I remember burning some mid-
night oil getting ready for the presentation, and it paid
off because I was hired. I learned I would also be required
to prep for and be present for some biweekly evening
classes for the paying public. When my boss asked me to
teach a couple of the evening classes, I knew I was doing
a good job! After only a few years, the storeowner passed
away and the business was dissolved. To generate income,
I began making desserts at home to sell to local restau-
rants. One restaurant owner hired me to work as a pastry
chef in his three-star restaurant. During the two years I