bfrischer's Profile

I had a tempura battered fried avocado half in Mexico years ago, topped with a chipotle mousse. It was possibly the best thing my mouth has ever experienced.

During the winter of 2008, I helped cater a DIY wedding. It was fantastic!

The bride and her mother sat down with me and we designed the menu. We then considered how long things would take to prepare, how long they could be held in the refrigerator, and what the prep time would be.

We laid out an easy going schedule: shopping on Sunday, prepping food on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, tidying up on Friday, then getting ready for the wedding on Saturday.

I skipped the ceremony to cook the food and get everything set up. I did end up running about 20 minutes behind, but the guests who weren't part of the wedding party pictures were more than willing to help.

In all we served over 100 people without a problem. I didn't have to clean up, got paid to skip the ceremony, and helped a good friend celebrate her special day!

It really helps if you have someone who knows what they're doing. I run a restaurant and am in charge of the catering side. We made sure we had plenty of time in case things went wrong, which they didn't, and everything came up roses.

Happy day to you and good luck!

Oh, what a lovely kitchen!
I mean, it needs some updating, but it's still gorgeous.
Strip that wallpaper and paint those walls a bright color. Any color you prefer would do, but make sure it's high gloss to offset the amount of light the dark wood absorbs (high gloss paint is also WAY easier to clean when you splatter something on it).

Secondly, switch that last counter and the fridge around, so it's not making that area a creepy, dark corner. It should be simple enough to tear out that paneling and reinstall it, save for a few patches in the walls which you can fix after you get rid of that wallpaper.

Next: the ceiling. I know it sucks. You could do one of two things: section off the wiring and encase it with something ornamental, or look into some of the awesome options for tin ceilings available these days. It's cheap, it'll cover up the wires, and you can paint it any color you want. Switch out those overhead lights, which restrict the light and add to the shadiness of the room, to globe lights which will warm up the kitchen.

Move the hutch all the way to the corner to avoid yet another dark area.

Oh, and that half wall by the island, do you need it? It's constricting. If you're lucky and there's full floor underneath it, all you'll have to worry about is patching up the wall before you repaint it.

Don't do anything with that stove and oven. It's beautiful.
Instead, paint the refrigerator. You could use chalkboard paint and constantly change what's on it. Or there are all sorts of cool appliance paint colors that you could use. Maybe something that will complement whatever you paint the walls?

Good luck!