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Gilles Marini Talks “Loukoumi’s Celebrity Cookbook” and Helping Children

Gilles Marini Photo Courtesy of Greg Hernandez, Wikimedia Commons.

America may know actor Gilles Marini from such television shows as Dancing With the Stars, Sex and the City, Brothers and Sisters, Modern Family, and Switched at Birth, but what they may not know is that he is also a gifted baker and pastry chef! Back in his early days, he used to work in his father’s bakery in France. On November 26, 2011, Gilles Marini chatted with Markos Papadatos about being a part of Nick Katsoris’ latest children’s book, Loukoumi’s Celebrity Cookbook; moreover, the talented actor opens up about one of his favorite childhood recipes.

On the acting profession, Marini remarks, “I am very passionate about my job. It’s very important and I take it very seriously. It was never my intention to be a celebrity or to become famous. I am doing this job, because I love acting to the core!”

Marini is one of fifty celebrities who have contributed their favorite recipes in Nick Katsoris’ newest book Loukoumi’s Celebrity Cookbook that came out in November 21, 2011.

“I love Nick Katsoris,” Gilles Marini exclaims. “It’s a great book. It comes from the heart of Nick, and it’s great for people to give this book a chance. It consists of recipes from people in entertainment, music, and newscasters sharing their recipes. What Nick does is amazing! It’s for a great cause and he works with great people. I love the Greek community here in America, since they help each other out.”

On being a part of Loukoumi’s Celebrity Cookbook, he states, “it’s a massive honor since this book helps children, so it was a no brainer for me to doing something that really matters. I was very much honored and I was thinking about what dish I could choose that children could make with their parents. It was awesome to be a part of it.”

The proceeds of the book go to such charities as the St. Jude Research Children’s Hospital, as well as Cat Cora’s nonprofit organization, Chefs for Humanity. “I love helping kids in need!” Marini reveals. “I was always connected with kids, even way before I was an actor. I love being surrounded by children. It keep me young, healthy and it keeps me grounded. Everyday people are always telling me that I am blessed to have such a nice house, and I tell them that none of these things matter.  I am extremely fortunate, because both of my children are healthy, and they have nothing that can stop them to be happy and successful in their life, and just because of that, I am one of the luckiest people on Earth! What else do I need? In this world, there are hundreds of thousands of young children that are suffering from something, and that kills me! I admire people like Nick Katsoris that work very hard to help these children out. Angelina Jolie is also a big activist, who has done a lot! We need more people like that!”

The recipe Marini chose to contribute to this Loukoumi project was “Pain Perdu” which translates into “French Toast.”

According to Marini, “‘Pain Perdu’ is really the poor man’s dish. When you have bread that was lost because it wasn’t eaten the same day, people used to throw them to the pigeons or the chickens. After a day or so, the bread gets very hard, and you cannot eat something that hard, so the French people created ‘Pain Perdu.’ It means the ‘lost bread,’ where you re-invent that piece of bread. It consists of a baguette, which is the most famous piece of bread that you could buy in France. Usually, ‘Pain Perdu’ is made for breakfast, and in France, they really wait for the bread to not be usable anymore, and then they make the dish. I remember my father and my mother making it for me.”

“I love to put fruit on the ‘Pain Perdu.’ I love to put granulated sugar, along with raspberries or blackberries and blueberries, and they go really well with it. It’s an easy dish and it is fun for kids. You can teach your children how to make it,” Marini adds.

“My daughter loves to make cakes. She is five years old and she is very independent, and I will only assist her to open the oven at a certain temperature and I only help her with the heat. Everything else, she does herself. My father taught me how to cook, bake and how to be a pastry chef, without weighing ingredients. I know the concept in my mind and it all comes naturally to me, especially when I make cakes and bread. I try to teach that to my kids,” Marini adds.

“My son, Georges, is twelve years old. He is a very athletic kid and a sweetheart. My son and daughter both love to cook, and my wife Carole, is fantastic with it! Carole is making food all the time for us,” he shares.

“It’s always important to try new things in life, that way you discover things! Before I was on Dancing With the Stars, I never danced a day in my life, and I jumped on that show and I was initially nervous, but I tried my best! I am always a big believer of trying, and if you try as hard as you can, you will find a way to be good at something,” Marini says.

Judging from his exquisite dancing performances on Dancing With the Stars, Marini is living proof that all this is possible. Marini is one who could do it all: act, dance, and cook!

Recently, Marini was a part of the Emmy-award winning show “Modern Family.” “Having the chance to work on ‘Modern Family’ was very cool! It was heaven to be on that show. That was one of my biggest highlights of 2011,” he reveals.

Marini is slated to appear on Hot in Cleveland on December 7, 2011. “This is my first sitcom, so it’s pretty awesome,” Marini admits.

When asked about what he was most thankful for this Thanksgiving holiday, Marini underscores, “to be with my very close friends and to have my family around the table, I am very grateful to them this Thanksgiving. God gave us the chance to be healthy and to have each other. Hopefully, next year will be the same! I just want the people around me to be happy and healthy.”

Loukoumi’s Celebrity Cookbook is expected to have its LA Premiere on Saturday, December 3, 2011 at the Barnes and Noble at the Grove in Los Angeles, California. This event begins at 5 PM, and features a book reading, signing, and more fun activities.

To learn more about Gilles Marini, visit his official website www.gillesmarini.com, and be sure to check out Loukoumi’s official website www.loukoumi.com.

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