Anyone who has spent any amount of significant time with me knows that I take food and eating seriously. If I say, ‘I’m hungry,’ you would be ill advised to stand between me and my acquisition of food. But, food is not merely sustenance. No, food is one of life’s great joys. Like a night of dreamless undisturbed sleep or mind-blowing sex, food fulfills both a basic human need and a decadent desire. As with anything taken seriously, there are a few rules, some guidelines, many preferences, and a backstory.

I can be, self-admittedly, a bit of a food snob. No matter how hungry and desperate I am, I won’t eat fast food. Don’t even suggest it. A recent love interest almost didn’t make it to breakfast on account of not having real butter in his fridge. I have been known to turn my nose up at the use of pre-packaged spices even when I’m not exactly sure how to concoct the proper flavoring otherwise. And I’m not much better when it comes to kitchen equipment. A high-quality, sharp chef’s knife is a must and do not dare leave it in the sink or put it in the dishwasher, at least not while you are in my house. It is not unfeasible to imagine me using one of said knives in defence of my Kitchen Aid blender. As for cook ware, one (hyphenated) word: All-Clad.

Let’s be clear about one thing: I am not a cook. Sure I can cook and even turn out a few good meals that may even impress. As a college roommate said reassuringly in response to an enthusiastic date for whom I had made dinner, ‘eat with Jilayne three more times and you’ll have that dish again.’ Those three meals may have evolved and a few side dishes have been added, but the statement remains mostly true. I will just never have the patience to learn some of the more elaborate techniques in the kitchen. Nevertheless, I like understanding the elaborateness that went into making a masterpiece and enjoy pontificating with an eating partner on the intricacies of the flavors and what exactly makes a dish stunningly successful (or not). The knowing only makes me appreciate the result all the more and respect those who master the craft and add their own artistry.

There is no doubt my knowledge and passion for food far outstrips my skills. But I was not always like this. I didn’t grow up in one of those households where cooking was considered an art, nor did I spend time baking at grandma’s side. Indeed, growing up, food was mostly sustenance and cooking mostly a chore to be tolerated. It wasn’t until I befriended a consummate foodie that my journey began. At first I was skeptical. I’ll never forget when she told me excitedly that the Food Network was coming to our local cable provider. A whole cable channel for food? Really? I nodded with support and accepted that perhaps my dear friend was merely a bit of a dork. I would not have believed it if you told me that the Food channel would become a permanent fixture in my very own home in the not so distance future.

And so it began. I took a few classes at the Culinary School of the Rockies and then my partner at the time took a few classes and a bit of a star was born. Despite my traditional family upbringing, I was happy to relinquish my place in the kitchen to a much better and more passionate cook who was willing to make me fabulous meals. It was all part of the master plan, I joked with my foodie friend, to get a man to cook for me. And cook he did, acquiring all the best tools with the same precision and discernment that is better associated in Boulder circles with the purchase of high-end sporting equipment. He experimented and refined his skills while I absorbed this knowledge and refined my tastes. Along the way I began working at the Culinary School of the Rockies in the office for the professional programs, cementing my love of food and appreciation for the very special occupation of those who cook for a living. There would be no turning back.

But knives dull, pans burn, and relationships end and so it was that I found myself with a fabulous kitchen, some of the requisite equipment with which to make great food, and a need to reclaim that space in both my home, my heart, and my stomach.