On Chef Crushes, Best Buy, and KitchenAid Mixers...

I'm going to admit something to you.  I sometimes get crushes on chefs.  Not like the crush I had on C. Thomas Howell in junior high, but "oh my gosh, how did they come up with that deliciousness" crushes.  Please tell me I'm not alone....I watch Top Chef or Iron Chef and *BOOM*, crush.

more on this baby in a minute. STAY TUNED. (that's called a teaser.)

So, I had the opportunity to go to an event at Best Buy featuring chef Monica Pope.  If you've ever read about good food in Houston, You've read about Monica Pope.  And, she was on Top Chef Masters.  And, when she was on Top Chef, she made me cry.  Basically, LOVE her.

{But do you think I was brave enough to introduce myself at the event?  Nooooo.  I tweeted her when I got home.  Yes, I'm a total dork.}

Best Buy was showcasing their small appliances.  I'll be honest, Best Buy is one of those places where I used to send the boys while I was in Ulta.  "Used to" being the key words.  Have you *been* in Best Buy lately?  Their kitchen and small appliance sections have been updated and, yeah, I could happily spend a few hours there.

Chef Pope used some of the small appliances to make some amazing food.  A Ninja blender to make watermelon gazpacho (I don't even like watermelon, and I LOVED this), a KitchenAid mixer to make the simplest dressing for a massaged kale salad...

...this little boy tried to eat all of the kale salad.  Cute as a button, but I managed to wrestle some away from him.  Y'all.  Life changing.  I said "life changing" about a vegetable.  I know.  I never would have thought to mash up avocados and make a dressing with my KitchenAid!

Can I tell you a story?  I can home so utterly smitten with Chef Pope that I told my husband all I wanted for my birthday later that week was to go to her restaurant, Sparrow.  Oh my gosh...if you live in the Houston area, GO!

The food was so good that I forgot to take pictures of it.  But, I *did* meet Monica.  And, my chef crush continues.

Here's what you need to remember:

• Best Buy: go in.  check out the small appliance section.  I think you'll be happy.
• KitchenAid mixer to smash avocados?  Brilliant. 
• Monica Pope = awesome (Houstonians: Sparrow. Go.)

The mixer.  Want one?  Yes, yes you do.

Best Buy is giving one of you a KitchenAid Artisan Series Tilt-Head Stand Mixer in Metallic Chrome. 
How gorgeous is that mixer?!?

***Giveaway closed! Congrats to Jaime!!!***  

To enter, visit the Best Buy small appliance page and leave a comment on this post telling me one item that strikes your fancy.

For an extra entry, tell me a chef you have a crush on...TV, local, whatever.

{Please, please leave a way I can easily reach you!}

Entries accepted through 11:59 CST, October 14th.

*These chef events are going on in cities across the US, so be sure to check with your local Best Buy!*

This post is sponsored by Best Buy, but my love of KitchenAid mixers and my crush on Chef Pope are my own.