What happens when a young woman’s dream is to work on the French
Riviera for a 3-star Michelin chef? But in order to do so, she has to take a
series of skill tests to compete for one sole coveted spot on the line
alongside more than 50 other chefs, all male. If you’re Nichole Clark, you ace
it—which is exactly what she did!
Nichole spent the next entire year working for the legendary Chef Roger Vergé at
the posh Le Moulin de Mougin in the south of France. She came equipped with plenty of ambition, as
well as formal training from both the Pennsylvania Institute of Culinary Arts
and the Italian Culinary Institute for Foreigners.
How did this passion come about? It all started when she was only 11
years old. As a latchkey kid among many others on her street who got money from
their parents to buy food at the corner store, she had a
brilliant-beyond-brilliant idea. She started cooking and selling homemade meals
for the neighborhood kids. She even went
so far as to set up a chalkboard on her porch with her menu.
“After getting busted by my parents,” explains Nichole somewhat
sheepishly, “I had to start paying for the ingredients. However, I still kept
the business going and kept on experimenting with new recipes.”
This passion for cooking came from her mother, whose family used to
make homemade blood, rice, and Slovenian smoked sausages—and who encouraged her
young daughter to join in and help. After all, her mother insisted at the time,
“If you’re old enough to tie your shoes, you’re old enough to tie sausage.”
“My mother taught me the importance of family tradition and being
creative,” beams Nichole. “She believed in me and encouraged me to try new
things and find my way.”
As for what drove her to a career in food, she explains
it like this:
“I loved the fast-paced kitchen
atmosphere, the kitchen talk, the sweaty T shirts, and the crisp white chef
coats. I loved racing the clock to finish prep before service and precision
cuts for fine dining. I loved the rush
that came with filling the ticket rail and the high that came with putting out
the last dish. I loved the organized chaos of cooking and plating dishes. I
loved the efficiency of a kitchen and the adaptability it required. It was an
outlet for my creativity and attracted crazy, likeminded individuals, all with
passion and a story.”
Her advice to others just starting out in a culinary
career is to “have fun, travel, and train while you can! Cooking is an
adventure. The detours and mistakes are just as important as the plan we
started out with.”
As the current Associate Store Team Leader for Whole
Foods Market Cedar Center, Nichole now enjoys spending time with family and
entertaining outdoors over an open fire. She also enjoys trying new places to
eat during her travels. The best experience she’s had during her travels was at
the Matunuck Oyster Bar in Rhode
Island. “They raise their own oysters in Potter Pond,” she says. As for the
best food during her travels? “It was definitely at the restaurant, Vedge, in Philadelphia. All I can say is
wow!”
As for what she enjoys most about being an LDEI member? “Meeting women
who inspire me!”
Learn more about Nichole as she shares some fun and interesting
insights about herself.
What’s your
favorite restaurant and what do you usually order there? The cuttlefish at Club Isabella.
What is the most
unusual thing you’ve ever eaten? The Cricket Lickit. My son and I dared
each other to eat it. It was so gross! I ate the head.
What’s your
favorite snack? Hummus, pita, and veggies.
Do you have a
signature dish? Bouillabaisse.
What’s your
go-to, quick-and-easy dinner? Taco Night with all the fixings. Great for
both vegetarians and carnivores!
What’s your
favorite dessert to prepare? Berries and cream. I don’t really have a sweet
tooth or enjoy baking…too much measuring.
What’s the
biggest cooking mistake you’ve ever made? During my apprenticeship, I was
working at the Renaissance Hotel downtown. I had to help cover a call off and
grill fresh halibut fillets for a banquet. I didn’t check to see if the grill
was hot and put about 25 pieces on the grill. It had just been turned on and
all the fish stuck. I tried so hard to get them off in one piece, but they were
ruined and I was so embarrassed.
Any favorite
indulgences? I have a plant-strong diet, so I guess cheese would be my
favorite indulgence.
Name 3 things
that are always in your refrigerator. Garlic, hot sauce, and fresh greens.
Name 3 kitchen
gadgets you can’t live without. Mandolin, peppermill, and Vitamix.
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