My Favorite Iron Chef

Bobby Flay

Things heat up when southwestern specialist Bobby Flay steps into the kitchen.

http://www.bobbyflay.com/

From: New York City

Restaurants: Mesa Grill, Bolo, Mesa Grill (Las Vegas), Bar AmericainCuisine: Mesa Grill is American Southwest, Bolo is Spanish-inspired and Bar Americain is regional American

Interests: Travel, golf, food

Ideal secret ingredient: Any kind of shellfish

Culinary inspirations: Wolfgang Puck, Jonathan Waxman, Julia Child

Ideal judge: My mother

Culinary secret weapon: It’s a secret and giving it away could jeopardize my chances of winning another match.

Favorite restaurant: I have too many to just choose one.

Favorite food: Ice cream

Food you won’t go near: Fiddlehead ferns

Weirdest thing you've ever eaten: Fish testicles

Favorite food destination: Anywhere in the US: New England, the Deep South, and the Pacific Northwest. They all have amazing ingredients and chefs and I am always blown away by the recipes and the food.

Alternative dream job: Mayor of New York

Eversince my night turned to day (my baby is usually awake in the wee hours of the morning), food network and asian food channel had been my best friends. It is very difficult to keep your eyes open as sleep would really crawl into your skin every minute or so. I would always tune in to these channels and wait for my favorite shows to air. I would be watching reruns of Iron Chef America and Showdown with Bobby Flay and would be too engrossed time would usually pass by and morning has come already. I am really amazed by how passionate the chefs are most specially Bobby Flay, I like his style of cooking and I have always wanted to eat authentic southwestern cuisine.

Kali Santina

On March 6, 2008 at exactly 12:31am I gave birth to a baby girl whom we named Kali Santina. She's born premature, only at 35.5 weeks but what a miracle she is. She's born very healthy and doesn't need to be incubated. We even left the hospital a day after I gave birth. She's only 5 lbs and 6 ounces, very tiny and fragile. I don't exactly know how she came out of me since I was heavily sedated and they put me to sleep so I didn't get to hold her after the delivery. I only saw her first in the digital camera brought by his papa when I was already in the recovery room. I felt so sad at first since I didn't expect our first meeting to be like this. I felt I need to gather all my strength as I really want to see her and hold her. In the afternoon I mustered enough energy to stand and be wheeled to the nursery. There I saw her. It was the most wonderful feeling in the world. This child you waited a long time to see, finally is in your arms, ready to receive the love and care you so longingly bottled up inside.