Even though Torie Cox lives in Birmingham, Ala. these days with her rescue pit bull mix Lacey; her Hall County roots keep her coming back to the area; to visit family, to take in an Atlanta Braves game or on most Saturday’s in Athens during college football season.
Torie graduated from the University of Georgia and then attended the French Pastry School in Chicago and now is a Food Stylist at Time Inc. Food Studios.
Over her career as a food stylist, she’s had a chance to work with many magazines that you see in the grocery store check out aisle but her most well known work has been with celebrity chef Emerill Lagasse.
We recently caught up with Torie to find out a little more about her, her career and her love for the Hall County area.
Question: What do you think is the best part of Hall County?
Answer: “The best part about Hall County, to me, is the location. Lake Lanier is the obvious attraction, but it’s also within short driving distance of a major Southern city (Atlanta) and the mountains. I have fond memories growing up on the lake; boat rides, tubing, skiing, dock jumping with friends. Going to Lake Lanier Islands for every end of the school year party and working up the nerves to ride ‘The Intimidator.’ “Eating at the Collegiate Grill after our dance recitals at the Georgia Mountain Center; Campfire Girl meetings in the Martha Hope Cabin. We were the ‘Rockin Robins’ and we sold chocolate bars instead of cookies. One of my favorite spots in Hall County is Green’s Grocery. Chicken salad, steaks, locally baked treats, craft beer… they hook me up whenever I am in town!”
Q: What events in your life do you believe shaped you into who you are today?
A: “Moving to Chicago for culinary school had a big impact on who I am today. Before I moved, I had never lived alone and had never lived in a big city. I had the time of my life working, taking classes and learning how to live on my own. It gave me self-confidence and it gave me the travel bug; now I try to go somewhere new at least once a year, and I love to travel solo!”
Q: Can you tell us a little about working with chef Emeril Lagasse?
A: “Last year, I had the opportunity to work with chef Emeril Lagasse on his newest cookbook, ‘Essential Emeril.’ I was nervous, as Emeril was a childhood hero of mine and a big inspiration for me as a cook. He could not have been more kind. We worked hard and finished a four day shoot in two days, and we then went out for a celebratory Italian feast!”
Q: What inspired you or led you to your current career?
A: “I have loved to cook and bake since childhood. I grew up in the kitchen with my grandmother and great-grandmother picking wild blackberries to make cobbler, decorating cookies for Christmas, learning how to make a roux for gumbo, fighting my siblings for the last spoon of cherry pie filling straight from the pot.
“I remember rushing home from elementary school to watch international cooking shows while my friends watched cartoons. I never set out to be a food stylist, I did not even know what that was until my internship after culinary school. But I knew I wanted to cook and be creative on a daily basis, and with food styling I get to do just that; without the late hours of working in a restaurant!”
Q: Where do you hope to be in five years, 10 years?
A: “In five to 10 years, I hope to still be happy cooking and baking! I’d love to get back to my roots and do more baking. My Nana, Emma Lillian Plauche, (also a Hall County resident) is still cooking at 100 years old, so she is my inspiration to keep doing what I love!”
The Faces of Hall County is a project to showcase the amazing people that live in our community. If you would like to nominate an interesting person to be featured please email babernathy@gonorton.com.
PROJECT PATRONS:
