My husband is a native Omahan, so I’ve grilled a lot of steak. One day after many, many steaks, he said, “I am ready to admit that you make a far better steak than most restaurants in Omaha.” Yesss. (My go-to: the fatty, juicy “outside skirt steak” cut.)
I didn’t always do this work. I was writing TV pilots and spec scripts in L.A. until I got a subscription to Saveur and Gourmet and got hooked. My husband would come home from work and ask, “How many pages did you write today?” and I’d say, “None, but I roasted a chicken!”
I got a gift certificate to culinary classes, went to culinary school, and eventually got a gig working for Giada de Laurentiis. I learned a ton.
My first time grilling was probably charcoal grilling on my apartment balcony in Westwood—don’t do this at home! I feel like people think grilling is more work than cooking—well, if it’s charcoal, it is—but it’s actually pretty easy. Grilling yields so much more flavor. It’s worth it.
I think the heat management of a grill turns some people away, but all cooking is about managing heat, and the grill is no different. With the grill you can be outside, leave the food on the grill, dip a toe in the pool, and come back.
My two sisters and I joke that when they say, “How ‘bout we all BBQ?” that means I’m grilling. They’ll buy the food and prep it and do the work–but when it’s time to cook it’s 100% me.
Would I want it any other way? No. Hard no.
