Gale Gand on Mr. "Easy-Bake Oven"

By JULIETTE ROSSANT There was a kind message today about the inventor of the Easy-Bake Oven, the late James "Jeep" Kuhn, who died earlier this month in Sonoma, CA. The caller was Gale Gand, star of the Food Network's show Sweet Dreams, cookbook author (most lately of short+sweet, which I have just reviewed), and last but not least executive pastry chef and co-owner of Chicago's Tru Restaurant. On the one hand, she said rather amusingly, "Mr. Easy-Bake Oven's light has gone out: the world will be a darker place because of that." Upon reflection, however, she admitted, "Honestly, the Easy-Bake Oven was something that many children could safely cook with at a very young age -- and that's why I'm a pastry chef today." Previous articles: The Passing of Mr. "Easy-Bake Oven" Gale Gand's short+sweet More Food from Alton Brown Manju Malhi's India With Passion SOS: Baking from the Heart Madhur Jaffrey: Our Lady of India, CBE All Hail Alfred Portale Agassi's Star Palate: Celebrity Chefs