Donna Blevins Balzaratti

I am a Graduate of Houston Academy Class of 1978 Dothan, Alabama.
I attended Auburn University and obtained a Bachelors degree in food
service administration, and a minor in catering in 1983.  There was
this catering class at Auburn that I talked my advisor into teaching
and we were the hit of the faculty since we were so cheap.  Dr. Meyer
just set us up as a business and turned us loose.  I learned by "jumping
in feet first" and my love affair with "catered affairs" began.

I worked in a hotel in Atlanta, the Buckhead area, as restaurant operations
manager, and moonlighted as a "grunt," in the Capital City Club downtown
under Chef Don Hamilton. There, I learned about the professional kitchen. 
Chef Don is now the executive chef of the Peppermill Resort in Reno, Nevada.  
I opened the Basketcase in 1989 at Northside Mall.  Two years later, after
seeing some success, I moved the business to present location on South Oates
St in Dothan Alabama.

Donna’s doodads:  

First cooking memory:  I learned to make "bear claws" (pineapple-filled
yeast dough) in seventh grade home-ec class.  It was the only thing I learned
to make and my parents still won't eat them to this day.

Worst cooking disaster:  During a live TV show, the hot lights melted my
linzer cookie dough into a pancake batter-consistency, and it ran off the counter
while I tried to work with it.

Choice for final meal:  Sushi and draft beer

Words to live by:   You can fix anything with whipping cream,
butter and booze.