At the Chef’s Table

Rebecca Taylor

• Ron Ben-Israel Cakes

Why is hunger an important issue for you?
In an ideal world everyone would have a full belly.  Food is one of your basic necessities of life and it should not be a daily struggle.
 
How has your involvement with City Harvest affected your outlook on food and/or hunger in New York City?
City Harvest has taught me that it doesn’t take a lot of money or time to put good, healthy food on someone else’s plate. 

What does a typical workday look like for you?
I don’t think I ever have a typical day.  I always fit the day-to-day in between photographing “how to stories”, setting the bakery up for filming a guest spot for television or meeting with a client to design their wedding cake.  We take it day by day and in my position I have to be able to go with the flow.
 
Explain your unique job title.
Ron gave me the fantastic title of “Operations, etc…” (It’s even on my business card!) I am sort of a one-woman show.  I handle the operations, PR, accounting, social networking, client relations, in-house photography, sales and anything else he can throw my way.

What is your favorite part of your job?
I am happy.  I work with and support an incredible group of people who can make almost anything out of cake and sugar. I come to work every day knowing that I contribute to helping people celebrate milestones in their lives.

What is the most challenging idea you had to help execute from vision into cake?
The Plaza Hotel.  It was the largest project that we have ever done.  We had about 8 weeks from start to finish to complete the project.  The planning logistics alone were complicated enough, but we also had to figure out how to build a 12x8x6 foot structure in our bake shop, take it apart and transport it up to the Plaza.  It took the staff 3 days to finish the final details in a small tent in front of the hotel.
 
Have you ever had to come to the wedding rescue?
Because this is a scenario we never want to see happen, we always have a backup plan so it has never been major.  I have on occasion rearranged some sugar flowers on a cake because they broke in transit during a delivery. (Those sugar flowers are fragile!)

Do you cook? If so, what is your favorite food to make (savory or sweet!)?
I do like to cook.  I love breakfast and my favorite thing to make is a caramelized onion and parmesan frittata.

What do you keep stocked in your refrigerator?
Hot sauces, broccoli, eggs, gluten free English muffins, wine and my Aunt PJ’s apple cider jelly
 
What is your favorite junk food?
Ice cream (I love it!)
 
What was the last best meal that you had?
Being from New England, I always find it challenging to find delicious seafood.  I always gravitate to my favorite restaurant, Flex Mussels.  My favorite thing is their mussel chowder with a side of Flex Fries and a glass of Riesling.  Yum.

Any exciting plans or big resolutions for 2012?
I want to keep on doing what I am doing.  I am happy and healthy and I can’t ask for anything more than that.

• At the Chef's Table
• The Food Council