Follow up from last week’s show talking about the cooking school “La Peetch”, Julia Child’s former Southern France vacation cottage and now home to “The Courageous Cooking School” – why not talk to someone who spent the last 16 years with Julia Child as her Executive Personal Assistant, Chef Stephanie Hersch!
While crossing the Atlantic on Oceania’s Riviera I had the distinct pleasure of meeting an old acquaintance Chef Stephanie Hersch. I first met Stephanie while helping start the South Florida Chapter of The American Institute of Wine & Food (AIWF). I crossed paths with Stephanie and Julia a number of times throughout the years as I started the Wichita Chapter of AIWF and attending the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen for many years. Imagine my surprise when while on the cruise I discovered Chef Stephanie Hersch is now one of the talented Chefs who teaches hands-on cooking classes on Oceania.
While it was great to catchup with Stephanie, I for sure wanted to share her story with my listeners. I had the pleasure of recording a show in the magnificent cooking studio on Riviera during our cruise.
Stephanie Hersh dreamed of a job in the culinary world, but she never imagined she would have a front-row seat to the life of the biggest culinary icon around, Julia Child. Stephanie became Julia’s executive assistant in the most unlikely of ways, when a chance phone call came into the secretarial school she was attending after time at the Culinary Institute of America. The only catch? Julia wanted an office assistant, not a starry-eyed culinary school grad. Stephanie talked her way into the job and wound up becoming Julia’s right hand for almost 16 years. Today, Stephanie is a chef instructor with Oceania Cruises and is based in New Zealand.
While on the Oceania cruise and enjoying an extensive array of fine wines, one that particularly caught my attention was an inexpensive Sauvignon Blanc from Pedroncelli.
Good Life Guy’s Wine of the Week:
2019 Pedroncelli Dry Creek “East Side Vineyard” Sauvignon Blanc
Brightly aromatic and very varietally correct-true to the Sauvignon Blanc grape. The clean and fresh flavors are layered with pear, Meyer lemon and tropical fruits. Our Sauvignon Blanc is crisp with notes of citrus, green apple, grass and a touch of minerality. The finish is quite refreshing. Please enjoy upon release or within a year or two as no aging is required. ABV13,5% 100% Sauvignon Blanc – Stainless fermented, no oak. And the critics say:
- Harvest Challenge Wine Competition
98 Points, Double Gold, Best of Class and Best of Dry Creek Valley AVA - Sonoma County Harvest Fair Wine CompetitionGold Medal
- Sunset International Wine Competition97 Points & Double Gold Medal
- North Coast Wine Competition93 Points & Gold Medal