Fanny Slater shares love of food on ‘Kitchen Sink’
As social media has grown, so has its influence on our cooking. That’s a good thing in the world of Fanny Slater, who sees the immediacy and interaction as a definite plus for home cooks.
Her own cooking career took off after she was named winner of Rachael Ray’s “Great American Cookbook Competition” in 2014, followed by the release of her own cookbook “Orange, Lavender & Figs” (Atria, $18) in 2016.
Slater, recently named a co-host on Food Network’s “Kitchen Sink” with chef Spike Mendelsohn and Food Network Star winner Tregaye Fraser, now explores food trends, Internet-inspired recipes and fun kitchen hacks during the 13-episode season, which started Jan. 15 and airs at 10 a.m. Sundays. The 31year-old self-taught chef grew up in Raleigh and now lives in Wilmington, N.C.
Q. How did you get into the world of food?
A. It all starts with brownies. My mom actually started a brownie business, Rachel’s Brownies, in Philadelphia where I was born. My dad joined her and they ended up running this successful bakery.
They sold the business and we moved to Raleigh. I just grew up in the kitchen with my parents. My first job was Quizno’s. I was a sandwich artist. Food was my passion, as well as being in front of the camera.
Q. How did food television become part of your career?
A. I moved to California when I was 25 to pursue acting. I didn’t love acting, but I loved improv and thinking on your feet. I moved back to Wilmington, where I started a catering company and making food videos, combining my passions. Everything culminated the moment the Rachael Ray cookbook competition came into my life.
Q. What did you learn through writing your own cookbook?
A. I do not like to measure ingredients. That was the most difficult part of the cookbook process. When you’re someone who enjoys cooking, you do it because it relaxes you. For a cookbook you are measuring and testing. An entire cookbook is filled with recipes that have to be tested and detailed to a T.
Q. What did you get from having Rachael Ray mentor you through the process?
A. I once waited in college for seven hours to meet Rachael and get an autograph. To meet her and have her become a mentor, I had no idea what to expect …
We had this great moment, and it is on my website. My dad told me, “You should look her in the eye and tell her thanks.” I kind of grabbed her by the arm between takes and told her, “I know I’m not going to have much time, but I just want to say thank you.” She turned and put her forehead against mine. I could not have won more by being placed with her as a mentor.
Q. What can people expect when they watch “Kitchen Sink?”
A. There are two forms of the “wow” factor. Wow, that recipe is unbelievably cool or over the top, fun, extreme or delicious. The other wow factor is wow, that was easy to prepare.
We’re focusing on creating fun, big and exciting recipes for a party or crowd or event, but finding ways to do it efficiently. It is three young faces and a lot about social media and sharing trends, but equally about the things we are creating that you can actually make at home.
Q. What food trends do you see for 2017?
A. Brunch has always been a very popular thing, an ongoing trend, but I feel like people are moving away from bagels a bit. Classic breakfast sandwiches will definitely move forward in 2017.
The other thing making a splash, one-pot meals. We focus on that for one episode. Now particularly for things like pasta, everything including boiling the pasta is done in one pot. That’s something that’s just starting.
Q. What’s your most memorable kitchen mishap?
A. My very first catering job in Los Angeles. I was the administrative assistant and the boss said, “I hear you like to cook. Why don’t you cater our next event?” This was 20 people, all the food prepared the next day. I had a budget, but I didn’t even think about it. I just went grocery shopping.
I’m having to take things out of the cart because I didn’t budget. I stayed up all night. It was such a good lesson. Planning is just as, if not more, important than the cooking.
Q. What was the first thing you did when you learned you were chosen as a co-host?
A. I fell out of my chair. I got the email the night of my 31st birthday that someone from Food Network wanted to speak with me.
Q. What will you be doing Sunday mornings when the show airs?
A. I will be popping champagne with friends at my favorite little dive bar.
Q. How do you see cooking and recipes evolving through social media?
A. You see so many platforms doing live now. That on-the-spot action is, I think, what the younger generation is looking for. They want it fast, now, and they have an attention span of 2.5 seconds.
There’s the leisurely shows where you sit back and cook from start to finish, I think there’s a place for those.
I certainly enjoy watching someone cook, the Julia Child, but the millennial into food is looking for something more fast-paced.