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Wicked Good Dinner: Interview with Dawn Viola
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Dawn Viola, a food blogger from Orlando, Florida, is a nationally recognized artist, competitive cook and food writer. Not only is she the author of her Wicked Good Dinner blog, but Dawn is also the Orlando Food Examiner for Examiner.com, bringing foodie news, resources, recipes and techniques from her personal and professional culinary adventures.
Dawn Viola of Wicked Good Food
I recently had the privilege of interviewing fellow food writer Dawn Viola, while she was still on her "Wicked Good" high after winning 1st place in the Crisco National Pie Championships. Dawn's comment on Wicked Good Food was an exciting, "Wish me luck! Contest is April 25th! " The day after the contest, she announced, "OMG, I can't believe it. I won. I did it! I won first place in the apple category in the professional division! " Her recipe for Vanilla-Vanilla Bean Roasted Apple Pie was the winning entry, making Dawn a very happy baker. But, I'll let her tell you more about it below.
Dawn's resume is an impressive and busy one, as she also writes for Chef 2 Chef Culinary Portal, works full time, dons a chef's coat at a culinary school, and she still finds time and pleasure in cooking for her family. So, take some time and check out her blog, Wicked Good Dinner for a "Wicked Good" read. You won't be sorry!
An Interview with Dawn Viola of Wicked Good Dinner
Wicked Good Dinner - What a wicked good name! Who thought of the name, and why?
The name, Wicked Good Dinner, came from a phrase I used quite often while growing up in Massachusetts – it’s kind of a quirky South Shore way of saying something is great, or really good. The original plan for my blog was to write about what I was making for dinner each night, and the name just seemed a perfect fit.
How did you get into blogging? What was your motivation for starting Wicked Good Dinner?
I’ve been blogging for about seven years, but started Wicked Good Dinner a little over two years ago as a cooking diary. My original idea was to document what I was cooking for dinner, how I was preparing it, how I involved my husband and daughter in the kitchen, and hopefully send a message to the rest of the world of the importance of eating dinner together as a family every night. The blog has remained a food diary, but it’s shifted to focus more on culinary school and competitive cooking.
In addition to your blog, you're also an Examiner? What a coincidence, so am I! Tell us how that's going? Where are you, and what do you write about?
Yes, I am the Orlando Cooking Examiner. I mainly focus on cooking techniques, ingredients, and recipes with a Central Florida spin. All recipes are original – I’ve developed and tested them myself, and also take my own photographs of the food. I’m a huge supporter of eating local and/or organic whenever possible – which isn’t always easy in Orlando, believe it or not. Orlando is only just starting to wake up to the slow food movement.
I’m extremely passionate about food and teaching people about the foods we eat, why we eat them, and hopefully inspiring others to get in the kitchen and start experimenting with ingredients, which I like to refer to as improvisational cooking. I’m able to reach a much larger audience through Examiner.
Do you blog full time, and if not, what is your real day job?
I’d love to blog full time if someone offered to pay my current salary! I’m a marketing manager for The Walt Disney Company. Cooking and food writing is my hobby, but when I’m finished with culinary school, plan to combine my marketing and film experience with cooking and food writing.
Tell us more about the Baking & Pastry class you're taking.
I’m enrolled in culinary school part time; this semester is all about baking and pastry. I graduated several years ago with a degree in graphic design and have been working in advertising and marketing for the last 18 years and love it. And this year I had the opportunity to pursue another dream – culinary school. It’s something I’ve wanted to do since art school, and so glad I’m taking the time – it’s been a great journey so far.
Where did you get your culinary training from?
I’m currently attending the culinary management program at Valencia in Orlando. It’s an amazing program – very affordable with a flexible schedule. In addition, I work in the various kitchens at Disney whenever I have the chance. One of the Disney Chef de Cuisines is my culinary mentor and has been a great supporter in helping me learn more about the business side, and find and develop my culinary style.
Does cooking and baking run in the family?
Yes, definitely. I grew up in a big Italian family, where cooking and the arts were a huge part of our lives. Everyone in my family is involved in food, art, music or writing, in some form or another. Food is our common bond – we talk, argue, laugh, reminisce in the kitchen while cooking and eating together.
I heard you recently won first place in a competition that will be airing on Food Network real soon? Please, tell us all about it!
I recently won first place in the apple category, professional division during the Crisco National Pie Championships – I currently have the best apple pie in the U.S. as voted by the American Pie Council. The competition will air on Food Network as part of their Food Network Challenge series sometimes in September, 2009. The entire experience was so much fun – I can’t wait to enter again next year.
I began developing an all-butter crust recipe about two years ago after discovering I had an allergy to soy, so this win was extra special for me – I put a lot of hard work into the recipe. I was literally choking back tears like a beauty pageant queen when they called my name.
You live in the south, but I also know you crave foods from New England. Care to fess up?
(Examiner's Note: I baited Dawn into this question. I knew she lived in my home state. I just wanted to make her drool!) I grew up in Massachusetts and Rhode Island, so I grew up on dough boys, Regina pizza, fried clams from Plymouth, Dell’s Lemonade, Rhode Island clam chowder, and every Italian bakery food you can imagine. I love living in Florida (the lure of the sun), but I have yet to find anyone who can duplicate Italian bread from New England – I really miss the food.
Dawn, I drool over your photos, they're always so appetizing. What camera do you use, and if you had unlimited funds, what camera would you buy?
I use a Nikon D40 digital camera, and I also have a small pocket digital camera that works just as well. I think any camera with a good zoom will work for online digital photos. Lighting and plating is key. If I had unlimited funds, I’d invest in more bounce boards, lighting and props –plates, utensils and ingredients.
How many cookbook do you own?
I own only about 45 cookbooks. I’m very picky and particular about what I buy. I’m a designer, as well as a cook, so photos and the layout/design of a cookbook is just as important to me as the recipes. I don’t typically buy a cookbook unless it has photos – they’re essential – and if the design of the book doesn’t flow well, it goes back on the store shelf. I use cookbooks more as inspiration. I look for recipe ideas rather than recipes to follow.
Favorite kitchen equipment or appliance?
My chef’s knife, without a doubt.
Do you taste-test everything you make?
Absolutely – taste as you go, season as you go. I also keep a notebook next to me as I cook, especially when I’m developing new recipes.
What has been your #1 favorite meal or most requested recipe?
I love pizza and make grilled pizza every chance I get. Thankfully, the weather allows us to grill all year in Florida.
Any duds, something you threw away and don't want to talk about?
Oh gosh, yes, all the time. I love to experiment – it’s the best part about cooking. My latest debacle was with crème brule. I didn’t have a kitchen torch and figured I’d just put the custards under the broiler to caramelize the sugar topping. I failed to realize the heat of the oven would melt my beautifully chilled custard and we had brule soup. I wouldn’t let anyone throw it away though – the vanilla bean was so expensive. We ate dessert soup that night. And there have been a few times where I’ve pushed a recipe beyond the boundaries of good taste by adding too many ingredients – those usually head straight to the garbage disposal.
Dreams for the future? Where do you see Wicked Good Dinner going from here?
When I'm done with culinary school, I’d like to get back on track with publishing recipes and focusing on my original plan for the blog. Unless, of course, Food Network offers to put me on television to spread the Wicked Good word of getting families around the dinner table again. (smirk)
Any cookbooks in the works?
Yes, lots of plans for a series of cookbooks once I complete culinary school.
What 5 food bloggers would you like me to interview next?
- Smitten Kitchen
- Julie Powell (from Julie/Julia project)
- Cooking School Confidential
- Steamy Kitchen (I’m dying to know how Jaden juggles her travels and projects while having a family)
Last meal - What would it be?
Pizza.
Anything else you can think of that I missed?
Hmmm…Eat dinner with your family tonight, I mean it!
You'll Love Recreating Dawn's Feature Recipes!
Do you have an awesome food blog with sinfully rich photos we can lick off the screen? If so, email me at cruisingkitty@hotmail.com for an exclusive interview and some great press!
Photos and interview are copyrighted and used with written permission by Dawn Viola of Wicked Good Dinner.
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