Norman Walker was drenched in sweat by the time the Thanksgiving meal was served. He had done 40 laps up and down the stairs that day. He wasn’t trying to burn calories — he was trying to save dinner.
The 12-year-old’s mother was sick and unable to leave her bed. So, she directed Norman through it all.
“I did the turkey, the stuffing, the green bean casserole. And I kept running to her room on the second floor to make sure I was doing it right,” he said.
That exercise is paying off. Norman, now 32 and a Geek Squad Agent from Wisconsin, was profiled in the April/May issue of Allrecipes Magazine. He is only the second male to be highlighted in the publication’s “Cook 2 Follow” feature.
The magazine flew him to its headquarters in Des Moines, Iowa, for a photo shoot and interview. The issue, on newsstands now, features Norman’s Southwest Breakfast Burrito.
“They had a whole set like I’ve never seen before. They had a whole kitchen, and they had a food stylist,” Norman said.
Cooking is a family affair
While he has been flattered by the attention, Norman says the true joy has been sharing his love of food with his wife and three kids. The family comes up with new recipes together, often combining foods they already enjoy to make new dishes. One such dish is Norman’s Asian pork burger recipe, which was a big hit with users on Allrecipes.com.
Norman’s culinary skills have grown to include brewing his own hard cider (it will be a while before his children can taste-test that recipe), but it’s still all about the food.
“When I was very young my mom said, ‘I’m going to teach you how to cook, and someday your wife will thank me,’” he joked.
Photos courtesy of Allrecipes Magazine