The Foreign Service Journal, March 2019

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2019 37 caught wind of my epicurean escapades and asked to interview me for the local English-language newspaper. I agreed, and there in a full-page back cover spread, I revealed my clandestine hobby: U.S. embassy employee by day, chef by night—like a crime-fight- ing superhero with an apron as my cape. The corner newspaper vendor beamed as he sold me 10 copies. He sawme almost every morning and, after reading the article, he probably finally under- stood why I always looked so sleepy. He knewmy little secret, and so did all of Buenos Aires. Calls of congratulations came in from Argentine contacts and friends, while reservations at the restau- rants I cooked in stacked up. Tucked amongst the sweet memories is one particularly bitter recollection. I once cooked for a well-established chef whom I both admired and hated, the way the world loathes and loves televi- sion chefs like Gordon Ramsay. During a slow dinner service, he stopped at my station to remindme that I was a “just a diplomat in chef’s cloth- ing” and asked if I was having fun “play- ing dress-up.” It was a rude reminder but, I admit, very true. My hours spent in restaurant kitchens do not stack up to the time, energy and emotional roller coaster of being a full-time chef. Cooking is a brutal profession, with 16-hour days on your feet cleaning, prepping, labeling, cleaning, packing, unpacking, stocking, creating dishes, reinventing yourself— and did I say cleaning? Cooking to Cope From Buenos Aires I moved on to South Africa, a food utopia where several cultures combine to create a truly unique culinary scene. My day job kept me busy, so I only cooked professionally in one restaurant every couple of months. In 2014, the Food Network debuted “Chopped South Africa” and my public affairs section colleagues asked me to represent our mission in the first mini-episode of the season. We split into 12 teams, each at its own kitchen station. Covered wicker baskets sat before each team. The challenge: make one dessert in 20 minutes using what was inside the basket plus pantry items. Three…two…one…Go! My partner, Melissa Ford, was the head of the public affairs section, and we were a powerhouse! We ripped the tea towel off the basket to reveal an odd mix of ingredients: fresh pears, chocolate-covered wafers, sweet-and- sour sauce and the kicker—a raw pork sausage roll. Time passed in a flash, with people yelling, cameras rolling, eggs cracking and flour spilling on every surface. Smoke and burned sugar smells bil- lowed from the other stations. With one minute to spare, we plated three desserts: a caramel and pear crepe with crushed wafers, sweet and sour rice crispy treats, and thin, twice-fried, hard-candied sausage roll bites. With the remaining seconds, I carved pear garnishes (I had gotten a crash course in fruit carving from the Royal Thai Embassy). Melissa and I were ulti- mately named the episode’s champi- ons. You couldn’t wipe the smile off my face for weeks. There are too many other mouthwatering moments to share in one article—filming a video in Afghanistan in Dari, a chef’s cookbook launch, pop-up events, cooking classes, bake-offs and more. My most prized possessions today are my memories with the gourmands who offered this wide-eyed girl sanctuary in a chef coat. Cooking is my way to cope each time I settle into new surroundings, helping me to thrive and connecting me to a like-bellied community. Chocolate lava cakes are my diplomatic weapon of choice. And I’ve lost count of how many friendships I’ve cemented over bacon and dumplings. Find your way to connect with others at post, whether through playing sports, rocking out with a band or bonding over a love of sci-fi. If you need inspiration, I suggest cooking your favorite recipe for a few Marines. Warning: High risk of amazing experiences ahead. n “My favorite tummies to cook for are Marines'!” says author Malene Carr, shown here with Marine Security Guard Detachment Baghdad in 2010. The author filming an embassy cooking series in Buenos Aires in 2014. During her second tour, in Iraq, she taught English to Iraqi youth in the form of a cooking course.