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Coryanne Ettiene's interview



Interview by Lydia Interview by Lydia

We interviewed Coryanne Ettiene!

Visit the blog: Kitchen Living With Coryanne.


See profile page and recipes



"If I could do a culinary tour of the world, I would most certainly ensure that I have wine and tapas in Spain, a main course in China and a sweet ending in Italy."



Hello Coryanne Ettiene, so tell us...


When did you begin your blog, and what inspired you to start it?


I started the blog Kitchen Living with Coryanne in 2012 as an extension of my TV and print work, and to build a community around kitchen living for a modern lifestyle. My focus has always been to create a virtual kitchen table where people can share their love of kitchen life, cooking and entertaining with others who are equally passionate about the memories that are made in the kitchen. If there was a recipe for my blog it would be 1 part food memories, 2 parts inspiration and 1 party sassy banter.

Are you involved in the blogging community - how do you attract new readers?


I work closely with many food and lifestyle bloggers, and stay connected with them on various Facebook groups and on Twitter. But when it comes to building a reader community, I focus less on attracting new readers, and more on getting to know the ones I have, true genuine connection is what drives me. I find that the best connection comes from social media engagement, either via Twitter, Facebook or Instagram, and unlike other blogs, I do not have comments on my blog, I prefer to speak to people on line and in the moment, and like to think that when people read my blog posts, they offer personal inspiration and reflection.

You are currently involved in so many projects from radio and tv host, kitchen and living expert, etsy shop owner and author, is there a current favorite?


How many words do I have for this......I could talk all day on this topic. I am at my personal best when I am on air, I love the energy of being on air and connecting with an audience. But there are days when I love the quite of being in my kitchen, recipe testing, and photographing. And then there are days when I all I want to do is write, reflect and inspire someone with my passion for kitchen living. I am chasing that dream of being a food star and talk show host so everything I do is focused on chasing that dream, but every element of my work is essential to that end goal. I suspect if I had to pick just one, it would be any element that allows me to talk with people, hear their stories and share our love of kitchen life. The one piece of the puzzle that I find most relaxing is the etsy shop, it is like a hobby that allows me to be creative, almost like therapy for the over worked.

You wrote that 10 years ago you could burn water! How did you renew your love affair with the kitchen?


Oh you did your homework, I love it. I wish I could say that I it was instant, but the truth is it was a slow simmering love that only reached a boil after years of learning. I was a corporate climber, social butterfly, kitchen avoider and then I became a mother with a newborn that needed to eat and to my horror, there were no baby food restaurants to order from and I was growing rather tired of eating the same 2 meals day in and day out. So I flirted with my green grocer, checked out every book at the library on cooking and tuned into Nigella Lawson... the books became more like eye candy and watching Nigella became the muse I needed to see how fabulous kitchen living could be if I embraced it. It was her passion for cooking that changed my view of food and consequently inspired me to share my story with others.

You used to travel eating from city to city. What was this lovely job - do you have a favorite city for food?


I spent my 20s with a backpack living off of $3 a day in some of the most amazing countries. Street carts became common place and with that came a small vocabulary for food and a palate for exotic flavors. I learned very quickly how "comfort food", no matter where you are in the world, is code for "easy food" and it was that experience that fueled my craving for american cooking with international accents. When I finally set up home in London, and began working, my job as a management consultant took me to less than glamorous places in Europe, but taught me that the kitchen table is where all the magic happens and no restaurant can replace that. If I could do a culinary tour of the world, I would most certainly ensure that I have wine and tapas in Spain, a main course in China and a sweet ending in Italy.

When did you begin working in radio and television?


They say it is all about the timing and that is so true in my case. 3 years ago when we first landed in the US, I was lucky enough to hear about a new daytime show in Arizona that needed "experts" for their show, I called them up with no experience but one hell of a package of enthusiasm and slowly got my feet wet with them. After the first show I was hooked and from there I set about learning everything I could about TV and radio. I still have so much to learn, the biggest challenge I have is being on camera alone.... there is something to be said about the connection you get on air when you can share it with someone, much like cooking, it is always better when you have someone to experience it with.

What is your earliest food memory?


I once read that hearing people talk about their grandmother cooking is so dull and unimaginative, but the truth is, my first memory of sharing a kitchen experience is of dipping saltine crackers in her marinara sauce while she gave me of her famous speeches on what ever news story was making headlines that day. She is, like many from her generation, a true testament to kitchen living. She understands food in a way that can only come from making it an integral element of her daily life, of being the one that feeds her family and derives pleasure from it. Sadly, modern living does not allow for an experience as rich as hers , so it is no wonder that so many of us have a food memory linked to our grandmothers.

Is there any dish, ingredient or type of food you refuse to cook?


Oh darlings, this could be a long answer. I was a picky eater as a child and still have childish tendencies when it comes to certain foods, sardines being one of them. But for the most part, I avoid eating meat that is raised in cruel conditions, pumped with medication and then injected with any number of plumping liquids. Not only for the animal cruelty fact, but also because when we play with our food so much that it becomes an abnormal impression of what is genuinely should be, we tamper with the taste, the texture and the nutrients it gives us when we eat it. In our kitchen we embrace food that is grown rather then manufactured, and enjoy the flavor that comes with that experience. But like every modern kitchen, we have our share of chocolate granola bars in the pantry.

What are some of your favorite things to cook with or for your family?


Without a doubt roast chicken. Not only is it the easiest thing to cook, it is the dish that just keeps giving making left overs a real delight. And if that is not enough, you can change it according to how your season it, and which vegetables you serve with it, making it that dish that never gets boring or out of style, and one that everyone in the family can help cook together.

What's next?


A nap. It has been a crazy and amazing year for me, so much to be grateful for and so much to digest.... this was the year that I found my groove between family and work, really understood what I want out of this crazy adventure and truly understood what I need to do to see my dreams come true. That said, in 2014, I am taking great strides to build a larger community online, host a number of live events across the US and I have the absolute delight in working with a handful of national brands who share my passion for fresh ingredients and kitchen table conversations. And while all of that is something to celebrate, my children are finally of the age where they really appreciate kitchen living, cooking and our time spent at the kitchen table and I cannot wait to see what culinary adventures we get up together.



Thank you Coryanne Ettiene for answering our questions and see you soon!
Published by Lydia - 10/30/2013



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