Wedding Menus inspired a New Generation

I admit, I’ve lacked in the blogging department this summer. It’s not for not trying – it’s just things here at Mon Amie Events, Inc have been a wee bit busy and very exciting in the Richard family. Our daughter Sabrina, who is 11, fulfilled her life-long ambition of competing on Food Network’s Rachael Ray’s Kids Cook-Off. Once she was named to the show, it was very secretive.   Sabrina and I left for NY, filmed the entire series and Food Network announced her participation in the show all within a few months, but it was right in the heart of wedding season!  Admittedly, I had to turn down a wedding that fell right over the filming of the show (at one of my favorite destination locations) and I’m really thankful that my couple immediately after the filming were SO understanding given I couldn’t tell them anything other than “Sabrina and I are going to NY.”

The entire summer and fall has been a wonderful whirlwind of activity and exciting media attention, interviews and of course, cooking. Often Sabrina is recognized in the most unexpected places by fans of all ages and she always stops to talk. The entire experience has been a beautiful time for our entire family and we are all so grateful. In some interviews Sabrina is asked where her love of cooking first began, and she mentions that she first fell in love “fancy menus” because of my weddings. Allow me to elaborate…

As I would prepare for a wedding, the final details would be checked off and naturally the personal touches that make a wedding beautiful, unique and special would be picked up by me. These might include favors, place cards, table numbers and of course menu cards. After the wedding I would keep a sample menu card for my records. From time-to-time if there was an extra during clean up I would give a couple to Sabrina so she could “set the table” at home and make it pretty for Sunday dinner. This began at a very very early age. Food Network was always on in our home. It was the white noise in our house. I wanted to know great menu ideas or the latest trends in the culinary world. Clearly both of these stirred up something in Sabrina. Little by little I noticed Sabrina started asking about menu items as she would read the cards. “How do I make beurre blanc sauce?” “Can I try osso busso sometime?” “Tell me about sou vide.” She wanted to know where a menu item originated from, why the couple picked it, who was catering the wedding, and the preparation process. I also noticed her recipe book was getting fatter and fatter. She was keeping each of the menu cards (from years and years of weddings!) I asked her why once and Sabrina replied, because now I’m a good enough cook to make most of these and if I’m not, I know I’ll get there. It was impressive to me to see what was little “gift” from a Saturday night to make Sunday’s dinner table prettier, was now something serving as part of her culinary inspiration!

I have no doubt Julia Child changed Sabrina’s life. (anyone who’s watched Rachael Ray’s Kids Cook-Off knows how much Sabrina loves Julia — and how she considers Julia her “alter-ego.” Sabrina’s impression of her is one even Meryl Streep would admire.) However, I have little doubt that the wedding industry also inspired my little Julia. I am so appreciative to my clients and my colleagues. Without your stunning weddings, your (delicious!) menus, your pretty menu cards and your gracious support of Sabrina in helping her prepare for this incredible journey none of this would have been possible. The event industry and clients have been enormously supportive throughout Sabrina’s desire to be on Food Network (years in the making) and during the filming and now airing of the show, I couldn’t ask for a kinder, nicer and more supportive group. Whether you snapped a photo of her, her food the bride’s food (and made sure you texted it to Sabrina during the wedding) or sent a pile of menu cards to Sabrina after other client’s weddings (I’ve had other planners and stationery professionals do that too!) It hasn’t gone unnoticed – it all means so much! Merci – and of course,  Bon Appetit!

For more information about Sabrina and her adventure on Food Network (and life after the show) please visit her at:

www.MasteringTheArtOfKidsCooking.Com

Facebook — www.facebook.com/cookwithsabrina
Twitter – @CookwithSabrina
IG – @CookwithSabrina

As always my heartfelt gratitude goes to the professionals who beautifully photographed some of the menus cards and food photos that captured Sabrina’s imagination over the years along with Sabrina for her audition photo shoot / video and head shots. Conforti Photography, Jennifer Driscoll Photography, Nathaniel Edmunds Photography, Erin Hession Photography, IndyVisual, InspireMedia, Jessica Strickland Photography, Vrai Photography

 (and now back to your regularly scheduled blogging…) 😉