Hey there! My name is Alison Barnett and I started Alibabka in 2011 to blog about my passion for the culinary arts. The results have been amazing, averaging a few hundred hits a day! I
am a recent graduate from The Institute of Culinary Education (ICE) in
New York City. After completing my internship at Solo Restaurant in NYC, I started working full time as a chef and event planner at Celebrations Kosher Catering in Lake Hiawatha, NJ. One of the things
that makes me different than most of the other students in culinary
school is that I am an Observant Jew and keep the laws of Kashrut*.
Graduating from ICE is proof that observant Jews can do whatever they
are passionate and still strictly uphold Rabbinic Law. Keeping kosher
in the culinary world has pushed me to be extremely creative by
substituting ingredients and coming up with new takes on classic dishes.
I hope that this blog inspires people of all different religious and
cultural backgrounds to pursue their dreams and know that they never
have to compromise their own belief system to do what they love.
I love sharing my ideas, thoughts, recipes, and experiences about cooking. I believe that anyone can cook with a little direction, the right tools, and a whole lot of patience.
In
this blog you will find my very own original recipes, fun stories,
cooking tips, and plenty of pictures of all my creations. The section
entitled "Halacha," addresses all the questions I have researched
before enrolling in a non-kosher culinary school. My "Cooking Class" section gives you the option of bringing me to your kitchen to teach you, from one-on-one classes to larger group demonstrations. If you are looking for some of my
more awkward moments, check out the "Ya, That Happened" section. I absolutely love feedback so let me know what you think or if you have any questions about Alibabka.
Contact me at alibabka@alibabka.com and don't forget to follow me on Twitter, Facebook, and Pinterest!
*Kashrut- to get a good idea on what the laws of kosher are about, check out this Wikipedia article-http://en.wikipedia.
org/wiki/Kosher_foods.
B'tayavon,
Chef Alison
Credit for the blog name: Rabbi Zack, Columbus, OH
Editor: Zahava Markovic
