Adobe structure in Santa Fe, New MexicoUpon returning home from the road trip, I started the transfer paperwork at work. The hardest thing to decide was how to talk to my Chef about leaving. Someone else opened up the door with another discussion. So I let him know that we would be going.The transfer paperwork went through incredibly fast. I already went back out to Santa Fe to tour the property and meet the Chef. The beauty of this interview was not having to negotiate benefits or time off! The Chef’s philosophy fits right in with mine, and he seems to be very approachable.I leave Phoenix August 31st. I’m not coming back. I’m leaving my home of 40+ years. Wow. There is so much familiar about Santa Fe though. I am really excited. We go back next weekend, and they have the Salsa Festival. Chili festivals start in September. And like I mentioned in my last post, it is a Chef’s town. And what I am really excited about is that there seems to be more women chefs out there that are visible. Phoenix is pretty sexist when it comes to the Culinary community, and it’s a shame too, because there are alot of good female chefs here.

Apparently I have endeared myself to many people at The Biltmore. Some of them are very surprised I am leaving. I was pretty set on becoming an institution there, but I get stale if I’m in a job for too long. And the last thing I want to be is a stale Chef.

What’s on order for this weekend? Roasted garlic hummus and pita bread, served classic with cucumbers and black olives. I’ll be really busy working today and tomorrow because we have a very large group in house that we are feeding (3,200 tomorrow…yes you read that right!).

And I promise, recipes soon.