Those are John’s hands on the mandoline in the picture above with the rainbow radishes. John is 15. John has floppy, curly dark hair and a warm smile. John is 15. John has done four (I think it’s four, though it may be more... I had a few glasses of rosé) different stages at amazing restaurants in both New York and Los Angeles. Did I mention that John is 15? John was a volunteer helper on Sunday for “L.A. Loves Alex’s Lemonade Stand”, a beautifully done food event benefiting childhood cancer. John is 15 and he is going to be a great chef. Hell, he’s already a whole hell of a lot more effective passing out food stuffs and assembling a salad plate at an event than I am. But whatever. John is 15.

John was in charge of slicing the radishes because Chef Kenobi thought a 15 year old could and would do a better job of keeping their digits in tact than I would, which is, actually, all too true. I would like to see my hands continue to be full of fingers, tips and all. But just a shout out to John, my new favorite up and coming chef, I loved working next to you on Sunday and I cannot wait to eat in your restaurant in a few years.

Before I had the pleasure of meeting John, Sunday started like any other Sunday for me as I picked up Chef Kenobi and his adorbs sous chef, I’ll call him Bar-Bearded, and we headed off to Culver Studios. OK, It wasn’t like any other Sunday at all except that there was food. And people. And booze... all to benefit a cure for childhood cancer, which is something I think we can all get behind. Before I forget, please go to Alex’s Lemonade Stand and donate your time, your money or get your kids’ schools involved, please do something. This organization is AMAZING. And Alex’s story is heartbreaking and inspiring.

On Saturday Chef Kenobi, Bar-Bearded and I had hit the Santa Monica Farmer’s Market and loaded up on gorgeous Japanese eggplant, herbs, heirloom peppers and micro greens (actually, I just acted as a curious sherpa, asking all sorts of inane questions while lugging economy portions or marjoram from tent to tent). The menu for Sunday: grand aioli, beautiful fresh, local produce, herbed micro green salad seasoned with olive oil, lemon and salt and lightly fried eggplant and baby potatoes.

I kind of feel like this week’s soupapalooza! was an unintentional homage to the 1980s. Not the semi-ironic Breakfast Club, shoulder pads and leggings-wearing 1980s (sorry LiLo, but you’re doing it wrong), no, but the big flavor, Windows on the World 1980s. Which, incidentally, was the site of my first ever consumed consommé. At the time I thought it was just exceptionally expensive broth to be eaten while looking out over the whole of Manhattan, and I was right; but it was also the only thing on the menu that didn’t completely fry my eight year old brain other than the chocolate soufflé.

Last week someone asked me what made a bisque a bisque and I had no answer other than I ate a lot of it in the 80s because, for some reason, it seemed like anything with fish had to be healthy (mind you, this was the era when pasta was considered a DIET food). Let me be frank: even when I don’t have an answer I always have an answer. It’s pathological and obnoxious; and for me to be not only stumped, but stumped AND speechless considering I consider myself a bit of a soup expert, well that just would’t do.

herbed salad of local greens with aioli and fried eggplant and fingerling potatoes: LA Loves Alex's Lemonade Stand and I do, too

mussel and fennel bisque: the shellfish strikes back

Why? Because soup is cheap, delicious and easy. Kind of like me.

a weekly attempt to eat well and to savor life. or to see how much food I can get on my clothes.