About Me

Born and raised in New Jersey, Jannie Huang came to know and love the Big Apple at the age of sixteen, and always knew in her heart she would end up in the greatest city in the world. Her real passions, however, have always been computers and food - these two things are the delightful spirits that fill her heart.

By the age of ten, Jannie was a pro at wrapping dumplings to make dinner for eleven as her parents hosted well-attended MahJong parties into the wee hours. Forced to wrap wontons at such a young age, she developed a passion - almost an obsessive-compulsive urge - to make the perfect dumpling. When really all Jannie wanted to do was play Nintendo and exercise unknowingly on the Power Pad excelling at track and field, she would soon learn new dishes from her father, the chef/chemist. Simple, yet classic meals like steak and mushrooms with baked potato, but with her father's soy sauce twist. Rather than a sweet sixteen, Jannie was deep-frying Asian-marinated wings and spare ribs while her parents were off to have long dinners with their friends and marathon MahJong competitions till two o'clock in the morning. During this time Jannie also discovered her intense love of soup. Often, her dad made fish soup, chicken soup, pork soup, beef tendon soup, and his beloved beef noodle "noo noo" soup.

Soon it was time for Jannie to leave the nest and head to college. Channeling her rebellious spirit, she ignored her parents' wishes to stay nearby at Rutgers University in New Jersey and ventured north to the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. She roomed in the international dorm because it was the cleanest dorm on campus and soon she was cooking with the foreign students. First, she began learning her native dishes from the homegrown Taiwanese students, like vegetable fish soup, spicy pickle scallion tofu, and hot pot. She then expanded her culinary knowledge by cooking with the Korean students, preparing seafood pancakes and a hearty soup with the Vietnamese students. They would make a cheap, international family meal for six to seven people, sit down and chat about their day, then proceed to their all-important studies.

Jannie weathered the freshman fifteen, her first year of college, and all that goes with it. About to enter a carefree summer, she was offered an internship in the New Media division of Sony Music. Back then, this division did everything people thought was impossible on the Internet, especially with music. Jannie was a liberal arts major trying to figure out what she wanted to do with her life, and playing with computers (i.e. the early days of web design) became a new passion. Little did she know then, her post-college life had already begun.

After not attending her own graduation, Jannie received her degree and entered into a freelance job at Sony Pictures Digital, which turned into a full time gig. She worked there, doing a non-profit website for freevibe.com which turned into an Ad Sales job. Jannie was there two years before the bubble burst. She got laid off, remembered her early culinary passion for the perfect dumpling and figured, "Why the hell not?" She applied to the French Culinary Institute and got in because she could pay the tuition. She learned the basics of French cooking, most importantly how to prepare the perfect egg.

At the same time, Condé Nast came calling for a two-day freelance web design job. Jannie tried to do both for as long as she could, but Condé soon hired her full time and she couldn't juggle them both. She even interned on the weekends at a restaurant for a bit, but she still had a love for computers and web design. Jannie wasn't ready to let go of the work, and the stability the regular paycheck gave, just yet.

Some of the ladies at Condé are amazing. Some of the ladies at Condé are not so amazing. Jannie had experienced Corporate America before, but nothing quite like being the only lesbian at Brides.com. Two years later she found herself on the search again, and it wasn't until FoodNetwork.com hired her that Jannie realized how great corporate life could be. They worked hard and they played hard. They were creative and fun - everything Jannie wanted in a web team, coupled with her love of food.

Four years later, after finding the love of her life at work and commuting with her everyday, it was time. Time for Jannie to freelance at home and get back in the kitchen. She knew this would be the only way she'd truly be able to have the best of both worlds.

Which brings us to the present. Where will it take her? Find out here >>