Style Network?s Jeannie Mai Shares Eating Habits

I got a chance to sit down with Jeannie Mai at the McDonald’s First Taste Event last week. If you don’t know Jeannie Mai, you should. She is a makeup artist, celebrity stylist, TV personality, and the host of the television show How Do I Look on the Style Network.

Jeannie’s a fan of the name “LookyTasty”. Jeannie has a sharp eye for visual aesthetics. She talked about the importance of presentation when it comes to foodl. The quality can be there but the presentation is also essential. Jeannie is an expert in that subject of good visual design.  She hosts a makeover show that empowers women to discover their true beauty and overcome insecurities. She shows them how to employ fashion to achieve their career goals. The same can be applied in the realm of food. She?s a big fan of food porn. Food should be plated in a way such that it accents its deliciousness and captures the diner?s attention and appetite.

I asked her about her opinion on what some would call “hole in the wall” restaurants and those sorts. These types of restaurants can lead to the greatest surprises!  While looks can be important, I?ve come across really delectable and amazing foods in the least visual appealing of all restaurants. She mentions that she is also a fan of hole in the wall restaurants. She heard about the Halal food cart at 53rd and 6th and was looking forward to trying it out. I told her that the rice platters are very delicious, satisfying, and cheap. The portions are generous and is definitely more than enough for one sitting. Lots of rice, choice of lamb, chicken, or beef, pita bread, and mysterious white sauce along with some exciting hot sauce.

Talking to Jeannie was great and she let me in on some of her opinions when it comes to food.  She enjoys the feeling of discovering delicious meals everywhere and finding secret hideouts with great, tasty dishes. In particular, she enjoys non-traditional cuisine. She was going to be staying in NYC for about a week and was excited to try new restaurants. She enjoys eating out in large groups, because it gives you chances to share and sample different dishes. The great part of NYC is that there?s always new restaurants and cafes popping up across the boroughs. I told her about my recent visit to Fatty Cue, in Brooklyn. I had brunch there the other day and the food really left an impression on me. To my surprise, she told me that the restaurant was actually on her agenda of places to dine. I would be interested to hear about her dining experience and what dishes she ordered. She also shared a couple of her favorite restaurants in NYC, one of which was Cafe Habana. She spoke highly of their Mexican styled grill corn. I’ll have to go check it out.

After all that talk about eating out, I asked her what’s her secret on maintaining a balance between staying in shape and her love of food?

Her secrets…

Something random: Jeannie Mai says No to the five second rule, but Yes to the five day rule. She’s cool with leftovers for up to five days.

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