Paula Deen at Chicago Theater

I'm not going, but I am mildly interested in what seems a somewhat new form of theater: a cook on stage, performing for an audience, in a traditional venue (rather than an Emeril-like kitchen stage or a kitchen stadium). It's probably been done before, but if so, I'm not remembering where.


http://www.ticketmaster.com/event/07003 ... norcatid=0

Wow, not exactly an intimate venue. Cooking is about textures and aromas and sounds that can only be observed up close. This cannot be meant to be an exhibition of culinary technique, but of personality. I am not familiar enough with this person (although I do recognize her picture), to want to travel downtown at 11 am on a Saturday to listen to her talk while she cooks from afar , and to pay $60+ for the opportunity. Apparently though, there are enough people who feel otherwise, that the best seats currently available are in the 13th row of the balcony ($58 + tax). I suppose this is the ultimate progression of the marketing of chefs as pop stars. From a promoter's standpoint, selling 2000 seats at around $60 a seat for an 11am show, is an amazing feat in itself.

Report on the Paula Deen traveling freakshow at Serious Eats:

http://www.seriouseats.com/required_eat ... -deen.html

Great casting on the part of Smithfield's agency. That woman was born to hawk ham (and I mean that in a good way).