Guest Blogger Amanda Davenport Dishes on LUCY and Lennon

Hey everyone, it’s me again … Amanda. I wanted to share with all of you a great experience I recently had.

This past Tuesday, December 15th, I had the privilege of going to the CBS Early Show with a few of the Lupus Foundation of America (LFA) ladies -- my new friends Maggie and Sara -- to meet Julian Lennon and James Scott Cook. We were there to show support for their new single "LUCY" which will help raise awareness and money for lupus.

What a great time we had! It was so nice to finally meet Maggie and Sara, and they are absolutely awesome. We are so fortunate to have them working with us to give lupus the proper attention it deserves. I know I am thankful.

Despite the very cold temperature, it was nice to feel the warmth of a crowd gathered together for a common cause. The fact that we got to meet Julian Lennon and James Scott Cook made it a day I will never forget.

If you do not know the backstory of the song "LUCY," I encourage you to visit lupus.org/Lucy. Here's a little hint. Julian Lennon's "LUCY" is the same "LUCY" from a certain Beatles' song written by his father, John. The fact that James Scott Cook's grandmother also has lupus -- and is also named Lucy -- made the song that much more poignant.

Meeting Julian and finding out just how truly nice a guy he is, coupled with the fact that he is very passionate about helping those of us affected by lupus, inspired me and those I was with to try to do even more.

Thanks to all of you who keep up the fight, and to Maggie and Sara for coming to NYC for this amazing event. And a very special thank you to Julian Lennon and James Scott Cook for creating such a lovely song that carries a message of hope for all of us.

I am very proud to say that I was there that day.

If you'd like to see more pictures from that day, please become a fan of the LFA in Facebook.

I wish everyone happy holidays! Keep Fighting!

Amanda

photos courtesy of Amanda Davenport
Top right photo: Julian Lennon poses with Amanda Davenport
Bottom right photo: James Scott Cook signs Amanda's Walk for Lupus Now t-shirt

Guest Blogger Amanda Davenport Dishes on "Hell's Kitchen" -- Week 9

Hello all once again!

Now this week was a pretty exciting week. Several of us from this season got together and watched the show while having some good food and drinks! We had a great evening and I so look forward to doing it again soon!!

Ok. Back to this week's episode. This week's challenge was a tough one. Cooking a vegetarian dish for 80 in one hour is a lot. And then on top of that finding out that your 80 guests are children who don't like vegetables! Wow -what a way to start the day!

In the end the kids picked Tennille's dish. She got a great reward –new hair, new outfit and getting to go eat some of the best sushi ever at Nobu LA with Chef Ramsay! You can't get much better than that.

As for the others they were left behind to clean up what looked like one of the largest kids parties you have ever seen! There were never ending piles of food, milk and juice to throw away and wipe down. They also had to pick gum off the bottom of the tables. Yummy!!

Tennille may have prevailed during the challenge, but the same didn't hold true during service. Tennille is perfectly capable cooking for children, but when it came to the adults looking for a presentable and flavorful dish, she was just too inconsistent to continue on. Chef Ramsay made his decision to have Tennille leave Hell's Kitchen.

I am very pleased with who the final three are. Those are the ones that deserve to be there! I can't wait to see what happens next week with my fellow Chefs and let the best Chef win!!

So keep on watching and cheering on the final three. We are getting very close to the end!

See you soon!

Amanda

Guest Blogger Amanda Davenport Dishes on "Hell's Kitchen" -- Week 8

Hello. I am glad to be blogging with you once again. What an episode we had last night. Down to the final five! It had the best and worst of what can take place in the culinary world. You can see how each person expresses themselves in their food, and how a lack of concentration and no communication can ruin a service.

Let’s start with the challenge. This is one of the things that every chef enjoys doing. Creating a dish that is uniquely them and putting their skills to the test against other chefs. Ingredient by ingredient, layer after layer and the best presentation combined with the best flavors wins the day. In the end I can honestly say that I was not surprised that Ariel and Kevin were the ones that really shined. Chef Ramsay and Barbara Fairchild, of Bon Appétit magazine, had the challenge of deciding based on flavor who would get a photo shoot and their recipe printed in Bon Appétit. I don’t care who you are as a chef, you want to have a recipe in Bon Appétit. When all was said and done the choice was too difficult and both Kevin and Ariel won the challenge. I am so excited for those two. Job well done.

As for the rest of the crew they were treated to orange jumpsuits and a ride on a prison bus to enjoy a little manual labor outside of the kitchen. They enjoyed an afternoon of cleaning a stretch of highway that Hell’s Kitchen adopted.

As you saw, this was one of the worst services of the show, and that is tough to understand because this is the final FIVE. There was nobody that had a good service and Chef Ramsay, not being one to hold tongue, went off. It was a bad night for all. The guys decided to send Ariel and Suzanne up for elimination. You could see how this was going to end. Ariel made her debut on the block, but the fourth time was not a charm as Suzanne was sent packing.

Once again don't forget the "Band Together” campaign.

Till next week ...

Amanda

Guest Blogger Amanda Davenport Dishes on "Hell's Kitchen" -- Week 7

This week ... thankfully there were two episodes of Hell's Kitchen. In hour one, Suzanne needs to try to find a way to work with the Blue Team, to which she was switched at the end of the last episode. The first challenge is to create three entrees out of fifteen ingredients that would be considered local to the Whistler, British Columbia area. The judges for this challenge are Olympic medalists, Sasha Cohen and Jonny Moseley who declare the Blue Team victorious.

In hour two, the six remaining contestants are presented with their black jackets and they must now work together as one team. They arrive in the kitchen for their first individual challenge, which is “Taste It, Now Make It.” They are paired up into three teams of two, and presented with one of Chef Ramsay’s signature dishes. The twosomes must recreate the dish using just the look and taste of it to guide them. In the end Dave and Suzanne are the only ones to identify the citrus juice in the sauce and they win a lunch at Gordon’s LA restaurant, Gordon Ramsay at The London West Hollywood. The losing pairs get to stay behind at the restaurant and change the dining room over to a “couple’s night” theme.

At dinner, things go from bad to worse -- between raw fish, sweat in the food, and burnt lettuce, Chef Ramsay practically has a breakdown and walks out of the building. The stunned Black Team is left to do their jobs as well as Gordon’s. When Chef Ramsay comes back, he throws Van, Ariel, and Suzanne out of the kitchen, leaving the service to be completed by Kevin, Dave, and Tennille. These three are then instructed to choose two out of the three ejected players for elimination. Sabrina got the boot in the first show and Van got kicked off in the second show.

Off topic from Hell's Kitchen -- as many of you may know, there has been no new lupus drug in more than 50 years! A new drug could be a world of greatness for all of us who suffer from this disease on a daily basis.

This is why the LFA has launched the campaign, "Band Together For Lupus," for anyone who has, or knows someone who has, lupus. We want all of you to wear the LFA purple wristband until the FDA approves a new drug for lupus!

You can find out more about this campaign, and buy your wristband, at www.lupus.org/bandtogether.

Let’s all get together and do what we can to fight this disease that has no cure "yet" ...

Until next week,
Amanda

Guest Blogger Amanda Davenport Dishes on "Hell's Kitchen" -- Week 6

Hello all. I am back with my weekly rundown of the happenings on Hell's Kitchen. This week was a tough one to follow for a couple of reasons -- not the least of which being that yours truly was not on the show. I thought this week was pretty entertaining for the most part. My girls won another challenge and the boys were on the ropes this entire episode.

I will have to start by saying that watching this week was odd for me. Seeing that Suzanne was still there when everyone wanted her out and then watching her try to be uber-nice was rough. Luckily the girls did not buy it. When I say the challenge was crepes I couldn't believe that
I had the misfortune of being eliminated last week. Gordon mentioned that his time in France was a very important in his development as a chef and I can totally relate. I worked there and it is the best decision I ever made in relation to my culinary career. Crepes are not easy to make, and is not something you can teach in a couple of minutes. I would have been a big asset in the challenge. In the end the girls won the challenge and the guys were left to prep both kitchens for service.

I would not have wanted to be the guys after this loss. Prepping the kitchen is one thing, but doing it for both sides and having new ingredients that most of them have never dealt with is rough. The girls are off practicing their mime skills and dining on fois gras while the guys are trying to prep frogs legs. I think you can see the exhaustion and frustration start to set in on the guys’ faces and that leads to lack of concentration. As service went on you could start to see the wheels coming off on both teams. Suzanne and Sabrina were in way over their heads at this service. Ariel was the one that kept that service from going completely off track. She showed a lot in that service. In the end both Sabrina and Suzanne were booted out of the kitchen for the girls and Andy was booted for the guys. When it was all over neither team won the night and they were sent off to pick two to put up for elimination Ultimately poor Andy got the boot.

As for me during this time I was enjoying just relaxing and trying to recharge my body. I wish I was still competing, but my body was not hating the fact that it could sleep and exercise on my own schedule. I hope you all stay tuned because there are many surprises to come. You all keep watching and I will keep fighting. Below is another one of my favorite recipes for all of you to try out. So tell me ... what did you think of the episode?

Amanda


Amanda's Recipe: Grilled apricot glazed chicken with grilled pineapple and jalapeno salsa

2 chicken breasts seasoned with salt, pepper and olive oil. Make sure the grill is hot enough and grill the chicken on each side for approximately 10 minutes or until cooked through.
Take off grill, and brush with apricot preserves. (heat that preserves in a sauce pan for easier glazing.)

Peel the pineapple and cut into thick slices. Oil the grill so the pineapple doesn't stick. Grill on each side until you have good grill marks and carmelization.

For the salsa:

• 1 jalapeno. remove the seeds and dice.
• 1 grilled pineapple diced
• 1 red onion diced.
• 1 tomato chopped
• 1 bunch cilantro diced
• Juice of 1 large lime

Combine all ingredients and salt and pepper to taste. Place grilled chicken on plate and top with salsa.

Serves 2 - 3.

Guest Blogger Amanda Davenport Dishes on "Hell's Kitchen" -- Week 5

Hello once again! As always, it is a pleasure to be blogging away with you guys. I hope you all had a chance to watch this week’s episode. How many of you didn't see that coming? I know I didn’t. I thought all was good for me after the service. I guess it goes to show that you can never be too sure as to what will happen in life. Let's get right into the show.

I loved the challenge we had with the guys this time. Every chef knows that the best tool, or instrument you can have is a good palette. I think mine is pretty good, but once you realize that the food you are tasting is not in its typical form, or at its normal temperature then all bets
are off. I was really proud of our team and how we performed. I felt good that when we got to me and we had a lead that I would be able to take it home. It was close, but the girls prevailed once again. The reward was awesome. I have never had dinner in total darkness. That
was a trip! All you can do is try to feel your way -- a fact that Gordon became privy to first hand. Sorry Gordon!

I thought service was pretty much a dead heat between the two teams. Both sides struggled but I felt we were ahead in the game for most of the evening. Suzanne had a very rough time. She was already at odds with the team and then she just melted down in service. It happens but we all tried to make the best of it. I had a good service all in all. The exception was when Suzanne tried to lay the blame for her fish on me. In the end Gordon decided that the blue team was just slightly better. We all agreed we wanted to put up Suzanne and Sabrina based on their performance for that service. As Gordon tends to do though he decided to add to the mix, and unfortunately it was me. I didn't think there was any way I would be leaving. That would not be the case.

Even though I was surprised I was not upset. You just have to prepare yourself that it can be your night to leave no matter what happens. I know that in my mind it had a lot to do with my health and that the competition was only going to get more difficult for me physically. I hated to leave, but I was looking forward to getting the rest my body so desperately needed. I learned so much from the experience and am grateful I got the opportunity. I realize that when I am healthy I can hang with anyone in a kitchen. I would do it again in a second. I felt I could have made it to the end because I was starting to get a bit of my energy back. I really wanted to prove to myself that I could win, and when I had the lupus flare I wanted to prove to the people watching that this disease has to be taken seriously. I think I was able to do that, and I hope that came across.

I am thankful to all of you that watched and for the kind words and inspiration throughout. I will continue to chat with you until the end of the show, and hope you’ll continue to watch because you never know what surprises might take place.

Also, I would love to know what you thought. Feel free to leave some comments for this entry.

Please keep watching, and as always I will keep fighting.

Amanda

p.s. LFA Blog Editor here -- Check out this news clip of Amanda Davenport on Fox News.

Guest Blogger Amanda Davenport Dishes on "Hell's Kitchen" -- Week 4

Hello. It is a pleasure to be blogging with you once again. I hope everyone enjoyed Tuesday's episode. I am glad that more of my personality came across in this episode. I am not as quiet as what has been shown to date.

I was shocked that we lost the challenge. I mean, how do you lose to the blue team when their ingredients include figs, apples, angel hair pasta, tomatoes, and haddock? All I can say is that Gordon must have had pity on them or something. This was by far the worst punishment we had to deal with. It was the one time that I flipped out. They woke us up three separate times to receive deliveries. On the third one I had enough. I was just a few days removed from the hospital and starting to get some energy back and my voice had returned and then we need to do this. Not happy!

We got two hours of sleep maybe. I could feel my body starting to regress back to exhaustion and I was starting to really ache. My lungs were paying the price for having to carrying all that stuff into the restaurant. I was carrying as much as I could load up just to get it over with as fast as possible. I paid the price for it both physically and mentally.

I guess losing the challenge helped us out in the long run. The guys were even more run down than we were. Las Vegas can do that to you. I remember thinking that I wish we had won and gone to Vegas. Then I saw the guys walk in and knew that they were worse off than we were. I think we really performed as a cohesive team that night. We looked out for each other and put out a great service. I also have worked as a fish monger, worked on the coast of France at a seafood restaurant and grew up in the Northwest and know how to cook fish. I could totally feel for Van on this night. The prep guys left a very thin piece of plastic that was undetectable unless you were the one that prepped it. It got me once and poor Van twice.

In the end we rocked the service and finally got to see what it was like to sit back and watch the guys put up two of their own. It was a tough night because I like both Robert and Andy. I think Chef Ramsay made the right choice though. It was Robert’s time to go. I hope you all tune in next week. It should be exciting. Keep watching and I will keep fighting.

Amanda

Guest Blogger Amanda Davenport Dishes on "Hell's Kitchen" -- Week 3

Hello all! I hope you all had a chance to watch this week’s episode of Hell's Kitchen. It was one of my favorites to-date. I think it shows that when the teams are equal that the sides are pretty evenly matched.

The fact that we knocked the low calorie meal out of the park was a highlight of the series for me. Especially being someone who tries to eat healthy and keep the diet balanced to help my battle with lupus.

There was no way I was gonna miss out on a day at the beach, with sun, sand, fun, and drinks with umbrellas! Anyone that knows me is aware that my dream is to have little fish shack on an island.

I will say that I don't think it would be possible to work the hours that are required in the kitchen if I didn't develop a workout routine and stick to it. I make sure that I carve out time in my day to go for a run or head to the gym. I feel that the combination of a balanced healthy diet and exercise is what gives me a fighting chance against this disease.

Back to the show. It is pretty apparent when this episode was taped that I was still battling the lupus flare. I was on a steroid pack and my voice hadn't come back just yet. Add to the fact that Chef Gordon called me back from the lineup and started asking about my health. I am a little hard headed and was not going to leave because of lupus. I wish they would have shown more of that.

Luckily, I was starting to get some energy back which was huge considering we went straight from the beach and into service. I felt this was one of my better services. It is a good thing if Chef Gordon is not yelling your name. I kept my station moving right along with no issues and was able to jump over and help the team when Tennille had her moment with Gordon.

It has been fun blogging with you. I can't wait for the next episode.

Keep watching and I will keep fighting!

Amanda

Guest Blogger Amanda Davenport Dishes on "Hell's Kitchen" -- Week 2

Hello once again. It is awesome to be blogging with you. What can I say about this week's episode? I must admit that I was in the midst of a pretty bad lupus flare during this part of the show and my recollection was not the best. I can say that I had been in the hospital and once I got back later that day, I was determined to fight like hell to stay. Most of that was not aired but you can see I am not feeling well if you look closely at me.

I was really struggling to keep my station on point and don't remember how I was able to do it. I had a great service and you never hear my name called. Not easy when you are in the throws of an episode. We finally eliminated Lovely. She was in over her head. To nobody's surprise ... Suzanne keeps yapping.

I’ve shared another one of my favorite recipes for you below. Thanks for watching, and I will continue to keep fighting.

Amanda

Amanda's Recipe: Roasted Chicken and Arugula salad with roasted pears, grapes, and goat cheese with balsamic vinaigrette

2 chicken breasts. Dust with salt and pepper, cook at 400 degrees F for 20-25 min, depending on thickness of breast; let rest.

Peel 2 pears of your choice, slice, and place on sheet and place in 350 degree F oven for about 12-15 min, until nice and soft, and a little caramelized.

Toppings for salad:

• sliced red grapes
• sliced tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon of goat cheese

Mix all in ingredients together and place in salad bowl. Serve with balsamic vinaigrette

For vinaigrette:

• 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1 cup of olive oil
• dash of honey
• salt and pepper

Blend all ingredients in blender, except oil. Slowly drizzle oil in until combined.

Guest Blogger Amanda Davenport Dishes on "Hell's Kitchen" -- Week 1

As this is my first entry, I guess I should catch you guys up on what has been going on. I hope you all enjoyed the show this week. I watched it in Vancouver, Washington surrounded by my friends and family at Pepper's. Pepper's is where I got my start in the restaurant business. It was great to see all those guys, and yes, tequila was involved.

That was one of my favorite days on the show for obvious reasons. I mean you did see the entire restaurant filled with firemen, right? Man I love a man in uniform. Not to mention the fact that the spa day was awesome. I am not gonna lie; I was exhausted when they got us up at 2:00 a.m. to make the pasta for the firefighters.

Lupus and little sleep is not a good combination as you are all aware. In the end it was well worth it ... being able to give something back to those guys. That was so much fun. Plus we kicked the blue teams’ butt. The helicopter ride and the spa treatment was just what I needed to recharge my battery. Once we got back and service began, it was back to reality. You have Gordon yelling, Lovely in the weeds and Suzanne talking nonstop.

Wow!! I was hoping to stay below the radar and just try to get my stuff out and then help the others as needed. I should have known that Gordon would catch me off guard and ask me to do a little multiplication as he was yelling at me. I am totally blaming my response on lupus fog. At that point I probably would have misspelled my own name if asked. Luckily I was able to stay out of the elimination as Lovely and Tenille were chosen.

I was very surprised when Gordon allowed them both to return and decided not to eliminate anyone. I guess he was feeling generous. All in all it was a good night. I am still in the mix and will keep fighting.

Until next time, I have provided a yummy recipe for salmon for everyone to try out.

Amanda

Amanda's Recipe: Blackened Salmon over Watermelon Radish, Cilantro and Cherry Tomato Salad with Cucumber Vinaigrette

Yield: 2 servings.

2 6-ounce salmon fillets
2 watermelon radishes
1 bunch of cilantro
4-5 cherry tomatoes

Blackening seasoning:
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon paprika
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon Pepper
* Mix all together

Cucumber Vinaigrette:
2 cucumbers (peeled, roughly chopped)
1 tablespoon honey
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
1 1/2 cups of grape seed oil
1 teaspoon salt
pinch of pepper

*Combine all ingredients in blender except grape seed oil. Blend and slowing add oil until combined.

Dust salmon with blackening seasoning, Add oil to pan and heat. Sear salmon seasoned side down first, until brown, then flip and finish in 400 degree oven until cooked to you r liking (about 3 minutes for medium rare, depending on thickness).

Peel and julienne watermelon radishes, rough chop cilantro and cut cherry tomatoes in half. Combine in a bowl and toss with Cucumber Vinaigrette.

Serve salad on a plate with salmon on top.

Meet Amanda Davenport, an NYC-based Sous Chef who has lupus, on Fox’s "Hell’s Kitchen" Tonight

Be sure to watch Amanda Davenport tonight on the premiere of Fox’s Hell’s Kitchen at 8:00 EST/7:00 CST.

Amanda is a 27-year-old Sous Chef based in New York who has lupus. Every week Amanda and 15 other contestants will be put through rigorous culinary challenges ... competing for the grand prize of a Head Chef position at Araxi Restaurant in Whistler, British Columbia, Canada.

Originally from Washington State, Amanda lives in New York City, and received her training from the French Culinary Institute. Amanda is also an active supporter of the Lupus Foundation of America (LFA), and recently participated in the NYC Walk for Lupus Now. We wish her good luck in the competition, and encourage everyone to tune-in and cheer for her.

Read Amanda's Hell's Kitchen bio here.

We’re also thrilled that starting next week, Amanda will be a regular contributor to our blog. She'll provide recaps of previous episodes, and share some of her favorite recipes.

Stay tuned ...