My name is Candy Seideman and I’ve been cooking since I was a little girl growing up in Texas.
I remember standing by my mom’s side and making family recipes like chicken and dumplings, peach cobbler, and all kinds of classic southern dishes. The average person wouldn’t know the cultural melting pot that is North Texas, where I grew up. But that is exactly what it is. There were vibrant communities of Vietnamese, Albanian, and Tongan people all around me throughout my childhood.
When I turned 16 and needed a job, it was only natural that I would choose to work at the local Italian restaurant two blocks away from my home. I spent most of my High School and College years working in the front of the house at various restaurants. After work, I would come home, put on music as loud as I could, and just cook. It didn’t take me long to realize that the kitchen is my happy place.
Right out of college I enrolled in culinary school. When the time came to find an internship, I helped out during “Restaurant Week” (a week where local restaurants collaborate) at a fine dining restaurant. The next week I accepted a position in the back of the house for the first time, working under a Japanese chef named Juliard Ishizuka. Under the tutelage of my chef, and mentor, I loved every second of the two years I spent there.
What I didn’t love were the hours. During my time working as a chef, I married my husband who I met in my second year of undergrad. We worked opposite schedules, and it was simply untenable. As a devoted partner and mother, I have spent the last ten years honing my skills cooking for my family. I will let you decide which is a more daunting audience, fine dining patrons, or toddlers.
I launched this blog to share the knowledge I’ve acquired in my lifetime, showcase my current culinary creations, and demonstrate how anyone can add excitement to their cooking experience. I hope my content will inspire and motivate you to get creative in the kitchen!