NICOLE WIEN
@MOMSCOOKING924
Hi - I'm Nicole! A mom of 3 who loves to cook on my Blackstone. I’ll show you how easy it is to make a quick and tasty meal, especially for those who are often busy!
Q: WHEN DID YOU FIRST FALL IN LOVE WITH COOKING?
I’M ITALIAN, SO COOKING HAS BEEN IN MY BLOOD SINCE I WAS A KID. MY GRANDMOTHER ALWAYS MADE AMAZING MEALS FOR US WHEN WE WENT TO HER HOUSE AND I HAD TO EAT EVERY LAST BIT ON MY PLATE, INCLUDING SECONDS BECAUSE ITALIAN GRANDMOTHERS WON’T TAKE “NO, I’M STUFFED” FOR AN ANSWER! I’VE ALWAYS PREPARED MEALS FOR MY FAMILY, BUT IT WASN’T UNTIL OUR KIDS STARTED GETTING A LITTLE OLDER THAT I REALLY PUT MORE THOUGHT INTO WHAT I MAKE. I COOK 4-5 NIGHTS A WEEK AND WE COLLABORATE ON WEEKLY MEAL PLANS SO EVERYONE HAS SOMETHING THAT THEY LIKE. (I HAVE PICKY EATERS IN THE HOUSE)
Q: WHEN DID YOU HEAR ABOUT BLACKSTONE, AND WHEN DID YOU START COOKING ON ONE?
MY HUSBAND ACTUALLY SUGGESTED GETTING A BLACKSTONE IN EARLY 2023. I WASN’T REALLY FAMILIAR WITH WHAT IT WAS, SO I JOINED A FACEBOOK GROUP FOR BLACKSTONE OWNERS AND STARTED CHECKING OUT YOUTUBE VIDEOS. I CONNECTED WITH BLACKSTONE BETTY’S VIDEOS AND STUDIED HER SEASONING VIDEO, SO I WAS FULLY PREPARED WHEN, AND IF, I GOT ONE. MY HUSBAND SURPRISED ME WITH A 36” BLACKSTONE FOR OUR 11TH WEDDING ANNIVERSARY IN AUGUST 2023 AND IT HAS BECOME THE CENTERPIECE OF MY WEEKLY COOKING.
Q: WHAT DO YOU DO FOR A LIVING AND HOW DID YOU GET STARTED DOING IT?
I AM AN INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAM MANAGER FOR SMART BUILDINGS ACADEMY, LLC. WE’RE AN ONLINE TRAINING COMPANY THAT PROVIDES ONLINE COURSES AND RESOURCES FOR HVAC AND BUILDING AUTOMATION PROFESSIONALS. I’VE BEEN WITH THEM FOR 4 YEARS AND ACTUALLY FOUND THEM THROUGH A FRIEND AFTER I WAS LAID OFF FROM MY PREVIOUS JOB OF 12 YEARS DURING COVID. I WORK FROM HOME, BUT I HAVE PLENTY OF OPPORTUNITIES TO TRAVEL FOR WORK-RELATED EVENTS. THE AMAZING WORK-LIFE BALANCE I HAVE WITH SBA ALLOWS ME THE TIME TO CREATE MY WEEKLY BLACKSTONE MEALS AND CONTENT AND THEY FULLY SUPPORT ME!
Q: WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOU'RE NOT COOKING?
OUR KIDS KEEP US ACTIVE SO WE’RE USUALLY BUSY WITH DANCE, BASEBALL, OR SCHOOL-RELATED ACTIVITIES. I STAY ACTIVE WITH OUR PTO AND VOLUNTEER TO HELP WITH A LOT OF THE EVENTS THEY HOLD. WHEN THE WEATHER IS WARMER, WE LIKE TO SPEND A LOT OF TIME OUTSIDE AND HAVE FRIENDS OVER.
