The Cafe at Middlebury Consignment... My new Home!

Hello everyone! It's been a while since my last post and I'm back with lots of news and lots of changes. The biggest change is that in the beginning of October I started a new job - as the Executive Chef of the The Cafe at Middlebury Consignment! Now, when you think consignment, you're probably picturing something like the Goodwill or Salvation Army. Middlebury Consignment is NOTHING like that! It's a spectacular building with 4 floors filled with gorgeous furniture (both new and consigned) as well as a chocolate parlor, Dylan's Candy Bars, Juliska china, Mackenzie-Childs, a design center, gourmet cookware and a whole lot more. You can see the store and learn more at www.middleburyconsignment.com

The Cafe is absolutely amazing. Gorgeous granite, Sub-Zero appliances, Wolf stove, state of the art EVERYTHING!!!! The best part for me is that I'm not sequestered away in a kitchen that customers can't see or observe. The entire kitchen has been designed to make customers feel like they're in someone's home. People literally sit at the island right across from me and can watch me cook their lunch! In addition, we have a formal sitting area equipped to seat 36 people at a time. AND, come this summer, our patio will be open with outdoor seating which will feature stunning views of our new waterfall wall and rock garden which is currently being built!

When Dean and Linda hired me, my first task was to create the menu for the Cafe in hopes that we'd be able to start serving within a month. Well, after four days of playing with recipes and providing samples to the team as well as customers, Dean told me it was time to open. We have had an amazing response and business is just getting busier and busier. The menu contains French Onion Soup and a changing seasonal soup (broccoli soup will be featured starting today!), quiches, meat pies, baguette sandwiches, salads with oatmeal crusted chicken as well as a wide range of desserts, coffee, cappuccino, lattes, Harney & Son's iced teas and more. We're open for lunch Tuesday through Sunday from 11:30 am - 3 pm.

As if all of this wasn't enough, we offer cooking classes! For the past year or so, Middlebury Consignment has been offering classes in a wide range of cuisine with local chef's from around the area. No matter what cuisine you're interested in learning, we have a class for you! This weekend I'll be teaching a steakhouse class and a few weeks later, I'm teaching a class where my beloved BACON is star of each dish! You can even book private cooking classes for you and your friends. Confirm a date with us and then we'll work together to customize your menu! You can bring your own wine, get down and dirty or just observe and then sit in the dining room where we will have set a gorgeous table and serve you a great meal which you cooked.

So, I'm cooking full time now and loving every minute of it. Keep an eye out for regular new blog postings containing recipes, tips and information about upcoming events.