About

The Hedonist Cook is written by me, Melanie, a baker, cook, and lover of all things yummy and fun. I currently live in Knoxville, Tennessee, where I enjoy feeding my nieces cupcakes, watching lightning bugs, giggling, cooking for friends and family, and generally enjoying the hell out of my life.

I grew up eating all-American food, prepared with love by my amazing Mom. We didn’t eat blood oranges, seafood, bell peppers, lamb, asparagus, curry etc… Therefore, I grew up being such a picky eater. When I moved to Sacramento in 2001, all I wanted to eat was pasta, apples, and bread. Luckily, I found foodies who showed me how lovely sushi can be, why Parmesan in a can is evil, and why it’s better to have nothing than eat margarine. I began cooking some and baking my face off without any tools or idea what I was doing. I loved it!

Then, in 2007 I decided 28 was a good age for a nervous breakdown, so I quit my safe corporate job and became a dishwasher for $9 an hour. It was a great idea, because it led me to meeting my mentor, Casey Gipson, the executive chef of the kitchen I worked in. He taught me to cook, but more than that he showed me how exciting, sexy, and all-consuming good food could be. I was hooked. Since then, my life has pretty much revolved around food.

Since I moved to Tennessee four years ago I’ve had the opportunity to work at some of the best restaurants and bakeries in Knoxville, under super talented people. I decided to go to college a little while ago, which forced me into the (gasp) front of the house, where not working 10 hour days is ok. I miss cooking professionally, but I still spend a lot of time in my little kitchen, cooking and catering for people. The only downside to being a student (besides the homework and debt) is that my website hasn’t been worked on as much as I would like. Never fear, school will be done soon and I’ll be back to my old self.

I created this website because I love food. And I love meeting other people who love food. Like those nights when Casey and I would sit on the phone and explain to each other what we had cooked that night, it feels great to find people that are into the same thing as you. It’s also a way for me to embrace my hedonistic tendencies. Don’t get me wrong, I take my work seriously, but I also take my fun time seriously. To quote from one of my favorite books, The Hedonism Handbook:

“Pleasure is good. Eden was fun. Excess may be bad, but self deprivation is just stupid. To live a life consisting only of hard work, virtue and self-discipline is to be a martyr, and martyrs make lousy lovers, friends and party guests.”

I hope you find something on here that inspires you and makes you happy. And I hope you’ll let me know what you like and want to see more of. Send an email, carrier pigeon, smoke signal, whatever. Let’s be friends!

xoxo,

Melanie