Posted: Dec. 29, 2009

Whitefish Bay — The year 2009 began for me with a memorable visit with my loving mother and family in India. I feel blessed that upon returning to the U.S., I reached important milestones in my passionate goals to promote healthful cooking and eating to the public.

I continued my culinary consulting with the Café Calatrava at the Milwaukee Art Museum, helping enrich their culinary offerings to the public.

I also enjoyed giving cooking classes throughout Milwaukee. The public response has been overwhelmingly positive. To meet many people from all walks of life eager to learn and to cook has been a very rewarding experience for me.

On April 23, I went to Manhattan, New York, to present a cooking event at the James Beard Foundation. In a sold-out workshop titled Enticing Indian Flavors, I made my debut at the prestigious JBF. JBF is a famous center for the culinary arts in America that brings top chefs from around the country to New York for special presentations and food events.

My cooking presentation and an elegant lunch were followed by a book signing. I was delighted to receive a certificate "for outstanding contribution" to the foundation.

October was a magical month. I worked with Chef Jason Stevens doing a program for George Watts & Son titled East Meets West. This fusion culinary event united French and Indian flavors.

Later I eagerly participated in Wine and Dine Wisconsin, sponsored by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

Then came my presentation at the 2009 Kohler Food and Wine Experience. The lineup on the day I gave my presentation at Kohler included famous chefs Jacques Pepin, Claudine Pepin, Lidia Bastianich (host of "Lidia's Italy" on PBS) and Andrew Zimmerman (host of "Bizarre Foods").

I also was selected to have my own cooking series on PBS. The show, titled "Healthful Indian Flavors with Alamelu," went into production and is expected to be aired in 2010.

I will welcome 2010 for continuing culinary contributions.

 

- Alamelu Vairavan

Whitefish Bay