My mom loved to cook. So did her mom. My brother and I inherited that love from them.

For years I hosted Chanukah parties and Seders at home – making almost everything from scratch. I left the matzah, matzah meal and wine to Manischewitz.

These days I bake the matzah too.

Making chicken soup is fun – but it is also kind of spiritual for me as I do feel the connection with my mom and grandmother. Like them, I use the whole chicken – including the feet. Yep. Chicken feet.

You just can’t believe the flavor all those feet contribute. Surrounding those are parsnips, celery, carrots, onion, dill and parsley. And the chickens. Lots of chickens!

Have I lost you – or are you still with me?

I always collected recipes – and cookbooks – as did my mom. We watched tons of cooking shows together. Julia Child, Jacques Pepin, Graham Kerr (The Galloping Gourmet) – always with a glass of red wine in hand and a flirty, very funny style; Jeff Smith (the Frugal Gourmet) who loved the history and culture of food – and fell to his disgrace by a predilection for young boys; Justin Wilson (I “gar-on-tee!" that he was funny as hell), Paul Prudhomme who loved to cook cutlets and fish with ‘blackening’ seasonings that were just delicious. About those cookbooks, I still have all of my mom’s – and treasure them dearly.

I had been working at a charity called WhyHunger, co-founded by Bill Ayres and the late singer-songwriter Harry Chapin since 1985. I served in many positions there including directing its Hungerthon - a Thanksgiving-time annual radiothon, raising funds to combat hunger and poverty and as the charity’s director of special events including tons of live concerts, theatre and dinners. In my final years I was privileged to answer calls for help from people in need throughout the country.

By 2016 I wanted a career change to launch the next phase of my life. I wanted to cook and feed people directly. So, while still there, I reached out to Escoffier School of Culinary Arts, speaking to a wonderful woman named Jackie Poland in their admissions office - and enrolled in their online program which allowed me to go to school and keep a roof over my head by working.

I LOVED IT! I loved my classmates and learning with them – and I loved my instructors. They were wonderful.