Page 12 March 4, 2009

By Lindsey Rivait The Lance (University of Windsor)

WINDSOR (CUP) — Nadia Giosia hopes to bring a little bit of rock ‘n’ roll to the oth- erwise bland world of food media.

Giosia, a Montreal-based comedian and chef, hosts the award-winning online series Bitchin’ Kitchen TV, which beat out Conan O’Brien’s iPod series for the 2007 Wave Award for Favourite Mobile Comedy Series.

Giosia began producing sketch comedy online in 2001, until she became ob- sessed with cooking shows.

“T love food. I grew up in an Italian family where cooking and eating was always the centre of attention. One day, it kind of dawned on me that I could make fun of my cake and eat it, too,” explained Giosia.

Using her experience in comedy and her passion for food, she created Bitchin’ Kitchen — a collection of her favourite recipes, and a hy- brid of both genres.

Many of the recipes in The Bitchin’ Kitchen Cookbook are healthy and geared to- ward a student budget, made with fresh foods prepared simply.

Giosia’s recipes are easy to follow and tasty, yet she has not had any formal training.

“T’m just Italian. I’ve been obsessed with food since I was a young child. My par- ents actually had a catering business, so I grew up around

ENTERTAINMENT

Blood, sweat, and elbow grease

Montreal chef dishes on new recipe book, Bitchin’ Kitchen

it,” she said. “I don’t think people need formal training to be a good cook.”

Giosia bases her recipes on real-life themes and occa- sions. She cites the Under- dog Vegetables chapter as especially useful.

“Tt really brings to light these vegetables everybody hates,” said Giosia. “When you’re dealing with vege- tables that aren’t that good,

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there’s only one solution and it’s frying it, lots of garlic, lots of olive oil. We’re not going to pussy-foot around the situation and pretend you can steam a stinking cauli- flower and have an orgasmic culinary experience. That chapter I really adore be- cause it’s simple,” she said.

Other chapters include One-Night-Stand Breakfasts, Break-Up Bonanza, Rehab

Recipes, PMScapades, and Broke-Ass Dishes.

Giosia supplements _ the recipes with her cast of man- candy and offers up “Nad- vice” on food and relation- ships, including a “Loser Specimen Guide” to help gauge how many free drinks you can score from losers at the bar. Be

Food education is also prominent in the book, as

PANTHER POST

Giosia offers tips for begin- ners, outlines essential cook- ing gear, and introduces a basic grocery list.

Giosia is busy expending the Bitchin’ Kitchen brand all over the place. —

“We’re launching a new mega site, and we’re branch-

‘ing into DIY [do it yourself]

and crafts,” she said.

“Essentially, it’s time to have fun and have a more rock ‘n’ roll edgy perspec- tive on everything lifestyle. No one from my generation is interested in painting their walls beige, or stuffing a turkey,” Giosia added. “We want to have fun with life- style, and that’s what we’re going to be bringing to ev- eryone.”

In addition to expanding her brand online, Giosia cur- rently has a development deal with the Food Network for a half-hour TV version of the Bitchin’ Kitchen web ep- isodes, due out this spring.

Even with a TV show in the works, Giosia says she will continue the online version of Bitchin’ Kitchen, which run 60 to 90 seconds long and boast over a quarter of a million views per month.

“I’m a Food Network junk- ie. It’s so awesome; it’s like porn. It’s really fantastic. And big props to Food Net- work for taking the chance on something edgier,” she said.

“There’s a lot of young peo- ple who watch Food Network and they’re just dying to see something that’s a little bit more out there that speaks to them a little bit more.”