Alum Guest Stars on Culinary Reality Show “Ludo Bites America”

When Easton Cyrus flew to Los Angeles to help cater Elton John’s annual Academy Awards party, she had no idea that just weeks later she’d be playing TV sous chef to Chef Ludo Lefebvre for the Denver episode of his Sundance Channel show “Ludo Bites America.”

A French Twist on American Classics
“Ludo Bites America” follows Ludo and his wife Krissy as they cross the country in search of up-and-coming restaurants to host their pop-up restaurant Ludo Bites. At each stop, they put their own spin on regional flavors, from barbecue to Tex-Mex.

Running a pop-up restaurant is always chaotic, but Ludo’s Denver show was even crazier than usual. When 70 guests showed up at once, the kitchen went into total overdrive.

Staying Calm Under Reality Show Pressure
Through it all, Easton stayed calm and focused. She credits her JWU education — and wealth of industry experience — for the rock-solid skills that enabled her to hold her own under pressure.

“I’m naturally quiet and observant in the kitchen. It helps me think on my feet when things get tight.”

The City as Culinary Inspiration
Would she ever want to do a pop-up restaurant à la Ludo Bites? “I’d love to try what Ludo and Krissy do! I love the part of the show where Ludo is tasting food from other restaurants or walking through the city and menu items just pop into his head. The city and its people are a walking muse for a chef.”

Gain as Much Experience as You Can
For now, she’s happy to try out new culinary adventures. “To this day, even though I’m JWU staff, I’m still one of the first to accept an opportunity involving food, wine and meeting chefs.”

Her advice to culinary students? See the world and gather as much culinary experience as you can. It’s what she did as a student — and what she’s doing now.