About Madalaine

Hi! I'm Madalaine, and this blog is all about my lifelong love affair with food. From my early days of exploding soup and setting off smoke detectors to my training in culinary school, I have learned a lot. I have also faced the challenges of gluten sensitivity. I believe cooking should be fun, tasty, and easy for everyone.

big family at a long picnic table in the backyard next to a lake

Whether you're here to master a French sauce, explore gluten-free alternatives, or simply find joy in cooking, I'm so glad you're here! While I do post EVERY recipe I make here on the site, you can also follow along with me on Instagram, Pinterest, Youtube, and Facebook!

How it all started...

A Love for Food from the Very Beginning

📍 About My Love for Food from the Very Beginning: I've always loved to eat and hang out in the kitchen. But that didn't mean I did more than wash dishes! Some of my cherished childhood memories are sitting on the kitchen counter and chatting with my mom and dad while they did the cooking.

Later as a single mom, I cooked by smoke detector. It got so bad, I took the batteries out. When Jerry and I got married, I jumped at the chance to be a stay-at-home mom. We didn't have many places to eat out, so I taught myself to cook with the help of cookbooks and watching the Food Network.

Culinary School & Beyond

📍About My Journey from Passion to Profession: I fell in love with cooking and decided to turn this passion into a career.

family eating at a table on a dock with lake

So, I went to culinary school (Escoffier Culinary Arts). There, I learned classical French techniques. I also gained a strong appreciation for sauces, flavor layering, and precision. In fact, not only do I teach cooking classes, I take cooking classes anywhere and any time I can!

woman and man seated at a table with a lake behind them. They're laughing

My Gluten-Free Journey

📍 About The Challenge: About 4 years ago, I discovered many of my close family members had gluten sensitivities. My culinary world was turned upside down!

family sitting around a table with a lake behind them with two golden retrievers

📍 About The Breakthrough: Instead of giving up, I embraced the challenge. I learned new techniques and experimented with alternative flours. Finally, proving that gluten-free food can be indulgent and delicious.

Bringing Lakeside Table to Life

📍 Why I Started This Blog: Lakeside Table was born out of my love for sharing food. I wanted a space where everyone—regardless of dietary restrictions—could find flavorful, foolproof recipes.

📍 What You’ll Find Here: Simple classic dishes, gluten-free recipes that taste great, and helpful kitchen tips to make cooking fun.

📍 My Cookbook: Writing Lakeside Table: SAUCES was a dream come true! It’s all about the magic of sauces—how they elevate meals and bring dishes to life.

This Year’s Adventures

📍 Cooking at Wheat Penny: Stepping into the Wheat Penny kitchen was an unforgettable experience! Working alongside talented people pushed me out of my comfort zone and reminded me how much I love the energy of a professional kitchen.

📍 Attending TasteMakers Food Conference: Connecting with chefs, food bloggers, and industry experts at a major food conference gave me new insights, inspiration, and ideas for where Lakeside Table is headed next.

📍 Cooking at Julia Child’s La Peetch Home in France: A dream come true! Jerry and I kicked March off with an unforgettable culinary experience. We took cooking classes in the very kitchen where Julia and Simca perfected their second cookbook, Mastering the Art of French Cooking Vol.2. Can't wait to share the journey!

Bookmark this site for easy dishes that will help you surprise and delight your loved ones every time!

Lakeside Table Channel on YouTube

I launched my Lakeside Table YouTube channel in 2017 and now have over 125 videos with tips and tricks to make cooking Fun & Easy. Lakeside Table YouTube Channel

Xoxo, Madalaine