me, Charlie Gibson and Joan Lunden

It was September 7, 1993 (I was just 12….). I had been working for awhile as the chef behind the scenes on “Good Morning America,” prepping all the food for Julia Child, and the cookbook authors and chefs that appeared on the show. One day it was someone’s brilliant idea to put me on camera as GMA’s “secret weapon”. I had never wanted to be in front of the camera but I agreed. It went really well because Joan and Charlie made it easy and I never once had to look at the cameras. I thought – easy peasy! But, several years, later when I tried out for the Food Network, I found out just how terrifying it is to be alone in front of the camera. I was lucky the Food Network was so desperate in those early days.