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| Contributed Photo |
The way local celebrity chef Vanessa Craig talks about food and how she prepares for each week of her popular pop up catering business Vanessa Loves Food, can make anyone's mouth water. Her eyes light up when she talks about her passion and her recent experience on "
All Star Academy", a contest show on the Food Network which pairs home-cooks with celebrity chefs and after weeks of eliminations the winner gets $50,000.
The Santa Ynez Valley native and now Buellton resident talked about her journey to the show started back in her childhood as she grew up in Solvang. She spent a lot of time cooking for her siblings as her parents worked hard at full time jobs.
"Cooking makes me peaceful and feel good," she said.
Vanessa graduated from Santa Ynez Valley Union High School a year early in 1999 and started Santa Barbara City College. During her first year her step dad Leonard whom she loved dearly passed away unexpectedly and it threw a wrench in her schooling. She turned to her restaurant family and started working more in the kitchen learning from the chef at The Palace Restaurant in Santa Barbara.
"The chefs walked me through the dishes and how to set up and prepare for restaurant cooking. I learned how to make a restaurant quality bowl of pasta. Not just slap together noodles and sauce," Vanessa laughed.
Vanessa moved to Los Angeles and after a brief stint at fashion school made Vanessa realize cooking was where she wanted to be. She moved back to Santa Barbara and worked at Bouchon for owners Mitchell Sjerven and Amy Sachs.
"They became my second family and their style of menu blew my mind with the freshness and simplicity. It definitely leveled up my cooking skills and showed me an amazing way to run a restaurant," Vanessa said.
Vanessa ended up moving back to Los Angeles to live with her boyfriend at the time who was a musician. She didn't have a job for a few years but never gave up cooking and entertaining friends.
"I wanted to do something more and started Culinary Cuties, teaching kids how to cook, because I wanted to give kids those same good experiences in the kitchen I had when I was young," she said.
When her relationship ended she moved to Walnut Creek and worked at Ruth's Chris Steak House.
"My brother asked me to make his wedding cake and of course I did and that process of baking took me through so many different emotions. It solidified that being a chef was what I wanted," Vanessa said.
After a co-worker prompted her to sign up on the Food Network she laughed it off.
"A few months later I was watching the Food Network and decided to go for it. I submitted my application and waited. And waited. And waited," she laughed.
About nine months later and after moving back to Goleta Vanessa got a call from a producer for the channel.
"I thought it was a prank call at first and probably said things I shouldn't have," Vanessa said.
A week later she was in San Francisco taping an audition and nervous because she brought chicken picatta, her favorite dish she made with her step-dad Leonard.
"He was the reason I started cooking and I wanted to do this for him," she said.
While she was taping her auditions she decided to go out on the town with friends and met her now husband Sam at a karaoke bar.
"It was instant connection between us. He was visiting America from Melbourne and after a few days together I didn't want to leave. Of course at that same time I got a phone call saying I had to be in New York for the taping for 'All Star Academy' and I couldn't tell anybody," she said.
Sam ended up following Vanessa to New York and stayed for most of the filming. She said it was an unusual way to start a relationship especially since she was under the most pressure of her life, but somehow he was able to help her focus. All the other contestants were pseudo chaperones and the contestants who are mothers made sure Vanessa kept her head on straight.
"When I walked on set everything vanished. It was just me cooking and I was in my zen zone," she said.
Vanessa's mentor was Chef Michael Simon, most noteable from "Iron Chef" on the Food Network.
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| Chef Michael Simon mentoring Vanessa during the competition on the Food Network's "All Star Academy". |
"Michael was just as cool in person as he is on TV. He is an intense chef but he is casual and approachable. I am so happy he chose me," Vanessa said.
She said her favorite dish she made was the "Surf 'n Turf" competition and she made carpaccio with a warm shrimp vinaigrette.
"It just stands out to me every time I think about the show. I can't believe I made that," she said.
All of the contestants lived in a hotel together with the production crew and became quite close. Vanessa still talks with most of the cast.
During the taping Vanessa became known for singing to her food and she always wore a pair of cowboy boots to honor her rural hometown.
After eight weeks it came down to Vanessa and Joseph Harris as the finalists.
"I was so bummed I didn't win but it was such an amazing experience and it just makes me want to be a chef that much more," she said.
Even though she came in runner-up it hasn't stopped her drive to make her passion for cooking full time a reality as she has started her own catering company
Vanessa Loves Food.
"The money would have definitely been nice to start my own restaurant, but I love where I am at in my life right now and wouldn't change it," Vanessa said.
Her pop-up catering stand has become a popular afternoon treat at places such as Figueroa Mountain Brewing Company in their Buellton and Los Olivos locations, as well as Larner Vineyard and other venues for special private events.
"I wanted to start my career here because the Valley is such a special place and I have always been so supported here. Buellton is becoming the happening place to be and I am excited to do events here. I can't wait until the next chapter and hopefully open a restaurant in a few years or sooner," she exclaimed.
Her next chapter also starts as a wife as a trip to visit Sam in Australia, and they ended up getting married, and yes she wore her cowboy boots at the ceremony.
For updates of where she will be popping up and the menu of the week follow her social media pages on Facebook - Instagram and Twitter.
To contact Vanessa for catering email her info@vanessalovesfood.com.
