I am a sous chef at a local restaurant in beautiful Downtown Denver. I grew up in the kitchen, but I've been cooking professionally for about two and a half years ago now. I really enjoy it, and I'm always excited to find new recipes to try at home. :o) Ohhhh, this is a toughie.... I think I most enjoy making modern French and Japanese cuisines. The various combination and twists on traditional flavors is always quite a trip for the palate. Thanksgiving. My mother inevitably sets the turkey aflame in the oven every year. The first few times were accidents, now I think she just gets a kick out of "turkey flambe," so I just keep a fire extinguisher handy and let her go at it. Also on Thanksgiving, all the ladies in my family make pies the night before, while the men make the sides, like cranberry sauce, stuffing, etc, the day of before the game, so the night before the ladies will hide a few treats, like extra pie crust dough that has been fried and coated in cinnamon and sugar around who ever is hosting that year's house, with clues for the little kids to find the next day. It keeps the kids out from underfoot, and it's rather entertaining for the adults to watch them run from side to side looking for their surprise. Winning my high school's mini "iron chef" competition. We had a very large culinary program, and each year, senior classes competed to determine the best cook in the group. It was tons of fun, and really solidified great friendships. Haha! My first attempt at spinach souffle. I was about 10, and everything that could go wrong, went wrong. The souffle fell, so then it burned. It was pretty awful stuff. But hey, that's when you hop back on and try again, right?