A Date With An Aspiring Chef

A charming young man invited me to dinner last week. He said he wanted to cook for me so you know I could not resist that. He is a talented cook named Max Gerstein, and he is 11 years old.
Max and his finished dish. Yum!

Max and his finished dish. Yum!

Max’s grandmother, Janeellen Gerstein, and I are good friends. She lives in my building and is a such a great neighbor. She is so lucky to have her grandson Max visit her all the time and spoil her with his culinary creations! He is such a foodie and knows all the best restaurants and their menus inside out. On this night, he served us lamb chops (from Lobel’s of course), creamed spinach, and mashed potatoes. Such a treat!!
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I think it is so important to get your kids interested in cooking, and teach them their way around the kitchen. It is something that will benefit them their whole lives! I used to cook with my son, Zach.  I taught him how make vinaigrette when he was 5 years old. I taught him the basics… how to cook a steak and make fresh marinara sauce. He’s been making it ever since. His girlfriend loves that he cooks.  Today it’s so much easier for children/teens to get into cooking with the Food Network, Top Chef, Iron Chef and Master Chefs. All of these cooking shows make cooking seem cool.

Now I give cooking classes for men, and young men, at Flirting With Flavors culinary school. It is the best way for a young man to learn how to nourish himself, and the best way for an older man to charm a woman! It never fails with me, just ask my husband!!

cooking young men

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Simply Seared Lamb Chops:

Lamb chops, frenched (ask your butcher to do this)
Salt and pepper
A few tablespoons rosemary, finely chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 whole sprig rosemary, for garnish

Season lamb on both sides with salt, pepper, rosemary, and a small drizzle of olive oil. Let marinate at least 30 minutes at room temperature, or up to 12 hours in the refrigerator.
Preheat a grill pan or skillet until very hot. Sear lamb chops for 3 minutes on each side for medium rare, longer if desired. Serve with a sprig of fresh rosemary for garnish.