HYDE PARK, N.Y.—The pan burst into red-hot flames. For a second, I thought, “This is it. I’ll be known as the clueless journalist who burned down the country’s most prestigious culinary school.” This being my first attempt at making a leek frittata, I had yet to understand, as I slid the mixture of chopped leeks and eggs into the hot olive oil, that the combination of high water content and super-hot oil would spell trouble.
The chef-instructor, Dave Bruno, rushed to my aid. He turned down the heat, lifted the pan off the stove, and tossed the leeks a few times in the air. He showed me how to move the pan around so the egg mixture cooked evenly throughout, then quietly moved on to check on the other students. The crisis was averted, but I felt my cheeks were singed with embarrassment.
