Something from Bonsoiree. Yes, I know that not giving an excruciatingly detailed description is a mortal sin in the food world, but let’s face it: whatever this is will taste better simply because it looks so awesome. I had dinner at Bonsoiree on Thursday. (Creative Commons photo by Flickr’s ewwhite)

I’m planning to start blogging again, so a quick catch-up is in order.

First, since I stopped writing here I landed and left a cooking job. Actually, I had various roles with the underground supper club Clandestino. In a later post I’ll share pictures of some dishes for which I served as prep cook/line cook.

But when I got word in late July that I was to intern under Steve Dolinsky, ABC Chicago’s food reporter, I jumped on it. I am, after all, a trained journalist. Not so much a chef.

Dolinsky has a thrice-weekly TV news segment called Hungry Hound, reviewing all things food in Chicago. As of last week, I now help him put it together. He also has a popular food blog at Vocalo, a project of Chicago Public Radio.

He’s won 12 James Beard awards, and maybe I can help him win a 13th. He’s been nominated the past couple years.

So now I am…

1. Mentally preparing for another full-time semester of courses toward my “science journalism”  undergraduate degree at Columbia College Chicago
2. Helping produce a much-loved food TV segment
3. Brushing up on my cooking technique by reading On Cooking (a text that Kendall College culinary students read), The French Laundry (Thomas Keller’s cookbook from the restaurant of the same name), and The Bread Bible (because why shouldn’t I know how to bake great bread?)
4. Making ends meet by working part time for a catering company and maybe (fingers crossed) a gourmet spice shop
5. Visiting all the restaurants I can afford to visit. Last week my girlfriend and I had a tour de force with La Madia, Big Star, Girl And The Goat, and Bonsoiree, the latter two being new to me. Reviews to come.

So as you can see, I’m not stagnating. I’ll start to write here again as well—about school, restaurants I visit, cooking exploits, and my experience interning with Dolinsky, who’s among the most well-known food critics in the states.

…just don’t expect me to drop any hints at upcoming stories!