Me... On a plate.

Hi, my name is Blake Jeffress. I am an amateur freelance food and beverage journalist. I have never taken a Journalism class or written an article, but I know food and drink. In fact, I have been working in restaurants for half of my life now and have done everything from mopping the floors at 3am on a Friday to leading the charge as the chef for world-class restaurants and hotels.

But I suddenly find myself having a change of heart. I am growing bored of the four walls and monotonous every day tasks that a restaurant has to offer and falling more in love with the actual food on the plate and the human connection and emotions that come with sharing these experiences.

Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love crafting the perfect meal to throw up on the pass so that hungry patrons of a local hole in the wall can drool over my food and devour the entire plate with no hesitation.

There's nothing like being in the middle of a rush on a Saturday night, blood pumping, eyes crazed from all of the caffeine ingested throughout my12 hour shift while a grown man yells at me to put up a side of mashed potatoes that I forgot about and have honestly taken way too long to get out.

I truly believe there is an unmatched passion and loyalty that people who work in the service industry have. They have heart, thick skin, and also a deep dedication to putting out the perfect meal night after night so that the rest of the world can sit back and fill their stomachs with a bottle of booze and, hopefully, a mouthwatering meal.

The thing for me is, I am beginning to fade in the restaurant. I find my passion dwindling at work... but ignited in my own kitchen.

I am enamored with making food for people I love, pouring them a glass of wine and actually conversing with the people that are sitting around the table with me.

To me, there is no better feeling than knowing that I am about to eat the best food of my life, get a little tipsy and have my friends and loved ones around to share the experience. Equally as enjoyable is the experience of hand selecting your meat and cheese bored at your local market, spending time picking out a cheap, but perfect, red that will compliment your board and then speeding home knowing that no matter what happens, your heart and your stomach will be fully satisfied.

Every person has a background and a story. They want to tell you about the time they ran through the fields as a young child in France and smelled lavender for the first time. Or, how their grandmother used to make their food a little differently or with "more love" than the rest of the kids and that's why they eat this way today. They want to have a connection to your food while being comfortable and open. They want to feel at home, whatever that may mean to them, and I want to hear the stories that they tell.

Bringing these feelings to life and providing a bonding experience amongst friends is my goal for others. I want them to vicariously smell the little village bratwurst that was selected by a friend of mine who is a local butcher, but eats vegan. I want them to fell like they taste the caramelized vidalia onions that have been slowly raosting for hours and then brushed with rosemary butter to "make them stand out". And then, I want them to think that they paired it all with a seasonal farmhouse ale curated by a local brewing company specifically for hot dogs. I want my audience to legitimately be encapsulated by my articles, listen to my future podcast or spend an hour watching my show effortlessly, and come away with a genuine sense of love for what they just experienced.

I have decided that I, too, enjoy being the reciprocate of a little wine n' dine. Which is why I have decided try my talent as a writer, in hopes that all my time can be spent walking in the herb garden of a Japanese pastry chef or sniffing a family bottle of a smokey red in the basement of a small family estate in Italy.

From this moment on, I solemnly swear to fill my belly and caress my taste buds with only the most flavorful, meaningful, and absolutely delectable food and beverage this planet has to offer.

It is my hopes that you will join me for the journey, because I can guarantee you you wont want to miss out.

- Blake J.

"The Drunk and Hungry"