A Q&A with Sue Zelickson
I sit down for a conversation with my mentor and award-winning food reporter, Sue Zelickson. She shares where her love of food originated and how she got Julia Child to milk a cow.
Before we get into this incredible interview with Sue, a quick reminder of our event next Sunday: Bake a Difference with me and Sarah Kieffer teaching a class together to raise funds for World Central Kitchen. You can join us live in person, virtually, or by purchasing the recording after the event. Please help us spread the word. We hope to see you there!
My life has been unconventional in many ways. I grew up moving from commune to commune, crisscrossing the country. As a result, my perception of family was quite different than the ones I saw on TV. The wholesome, suburban life on Leave It to Beaver seemed like a different world and the blended family of The Brady Bunch was closer, but still not quite what I understood. By constantly moving and living with large groups of people, I developed the skill of adopting powerful, interesting, wise, and generous women in my life. To call them mentors is true but doesn’t go far enough. They have shaped me, all in different ways, into the woman I am today. Sue Zelickson is one of those women.
I met Sue in the 1990s, at the very beginning of my career as a pastry chef, just weeks after leaving culinary school in New York. I was, to quote Sue, “a pup!” In my 20s I felt way over my head taking a job with a chef, Andrew Zimmern, who had an eye on his eventual TV career. Things were moving fast for me and I needed a guide. Sue told me to stand up straight and trust that I belonged. She had been telling women this for decades and helped multiple generations of women get over the feeling of imposter syndrome in an industry that was run by men and felt more like the military than the cozy kitchens you see on TV. I owe this woman so much for believing in me and teaching me how to walk confidently on my path.
To say she is a GIANT in the Minneapolis food community is to undersell her importance. She’s the perfect storm of kindness, bossiness, generosity, and wisdom. I am so honored and grateful she took the time to sit down with me for this interview. I thought I knew a lot about Sue but her stories are endless. Like, how she went from teaching in a Quonset hut to being a James Beard Foundation award-winning journalist. She also shares her true feelings about White Castle Burgers and Social Media Influencers. We were going to transcribe her words but decided it is best told in her voice. Pull up a chair and enjoy the lovely, fascinating, and wise world of Sue Zelickson.
Listen to my Interview with Sue:
Just a few of Sue’s career highlights:
Her broadcast career started in the ‘60s on KSTP-TV and WCCO radio.
In the 1970s, Sue founded Perspectives Kids Cafe, a nonprofit serving homeless and at-risk youth and families.
She milked a cow with Julia Child! Julia said it was the best day of her life.
In 1993 she founded Women Who Really Cook, a professional networking organization for women in the food and hospitality industry.
Sue won a James Beard Award for Best Local Radio Show in 2005.
Sue founded the Charlie Awards in 2011 to celebrate the exceptional contributions of the Twin Cities-area restaurant, food, and beverage industry.
She won the 2022 Lifetime Achievement Award from the IACP (International Association of Culinary Professionals).
Sue has authored 9 books. (affiliate link)
Season 3, Episode 10: Coffee Crunch Cake
In this episode of Zoë Bakes on Magnolia Network I host a celebration to honor Sue. To mark the occasion, I made a grand, multi-tiered chiffon cake infused with coffee and honeycomb candy throughout. This is the cake we reference in the interview above. The original from Blum’s in San Francisco is Sue’s favorite. When I asked her what kind of cake she wanted me to bake her for the show, she had a version of it sent from the LA bakery, Valerie’s Confections. She also insisted the flowers be pink, not just pink, but HOT pink. So, that is exactly what we gave her!
White Castle Holiday Stuffing
I loved my discovery during our interview that Sue is a HUGE White Castle burger fan. She even shared her White Castle Holiday Stuffing Recipe. You’re welcome!