I began cooking as a teen. My first job was cooking weekends in the hospital where I was born. My family has owned a diner and a bar/restaurant/motel where I have worked. I currently cook for family ,friends and neighbors between home and our camp. My favorite things to cook are dinner for the family. Home style and comfort foods. Tomatoe sauce and meatballs, Steaks on the grill,(with lots of veg side dishes),Stuffed mushrooms, chicken everyway,venison and local fish, homemade mac and cheese, homemade burritos with fresh guacamole. My specialty is Soups every weekend from September on and Cheesecake. My favorite family cooking traditions are on Thanksgiving in the morning after breakfast to begin with appetizers...Roasted red pepper and artichoke dip with french bread, stuffed mushrooms etc. Then Turkey with all the trimmings and lasagna. Then all the desserts including cheesecake. Christmas Eve...Fish/Shellfish and lots of wine. Christmas Day Prime Rib. Cream Puffs for desert. I am a NY State Food Service Supervisor. I've worked in many industrial kichens. I was a short order cook in our family run diner. Cook, waitress and barmaid at our restaurant. My biggest triumph is that I was the cook at my own wedding. Once cooking for a wedding I brought a tray of chiken breast out of the oven. It began to fall and I pushed it up onto the counter with my bare wrist...ouch!! Nice burn, but the food was saved!