Renee Ferguson’s Journey From Talking Turkey to Queen of Junk King is a Wild Ride
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I have cooked one turkey. Ever.
It’s easy to wriggle out of chef duties if you have loads of relatives who vie for the honor of roasting the turkey. But one year, I was in the very odd position of being the designated bird lady.
If only I had a copy of Renee Ferguson’s Talk Turkey to Me.
Answering The Call
Renee is the epitome of grace under pressure. She likes to say she was a former call girl.
No, not that kind!
While we know Renee as the Queen of Junk King now, she was the Queen of Thanksgiving in a former career. She had a part-time gig answering people’s turkey trauma on the famous national Butterball Turkey Talk-Line.
If you are unaware of this incredible resource, it’s the phone number to call when you have questions that you’re embarrassed to ask someone you know, like, “Do I cook it naked or covered?” These ladies are all experts, and no question is considered stupid.
After years freelancing in the marketing and advertising world, working with clients like Pepsico, Nesquik, Home Depot, Tabasco, and Butterball, to name only a few, a connection convinced Renee she’d be a great Butterball Turkey Talk-Line lady.
The gig had a finite timeline. Renee had a degree in Home Economics, a bit of time on her hands, and was hired on the spot. After some in-depth training at Butterball University — because cooking America’s national holiday turkey is serious business — she was helping hapless cooks pull off the perfect turkey.
“The calls came in from across the country,” Renee said.
“What size should you get?”
“How long does it take to thaw a turkey?”
“Can I thaw this thing in an electric blanket?”
“Where do I put the meat thermometer?”
Remember, no question is considered stupid!
“Everyone wants to be an expert cook on Thanksgiving,” Renee said. “They want that Norman Rockwell image, so we did our best to make that happen.”
A Surprise Turkey Throwdown
After her Butterball Turkey Talk-Line experience, everyone told Renee to write a cookbook.
“I thought if I don’t do it now, I never will. Writing Talk Turkey to Me took about a year, and once published, the Food Network found her.
“They saw Talk Turkey to Me and offered me an opportunity to be one of three chefs on a Thanksgiving special,” Renee said.
She was one of several chefs being filmed and told her episode might not even air, so she did not get her hopes up. She was filmed shopping, cooking in her home kitchen, and the final segment was to be shot at Kendall College, the premier culinary arts school in Chicago.
Renee was led to the set and an audience filled with culinary students. She began to get a bit suspicious when she saw set decorators fluttering around, but Renee is the epitome of grace under pressure.
“My job was to prepare a basic turkey and a side dish of dressing,” Renee said. “The director said he needed a sound bite and then asked the audience to cheer. I’m sitting there as the audience is looking at me, and I’m saying thank you. Then all their faces whip to one side of the room, and in walks Bobby Flay.”
If you’re not a foodie, Bobby Flay is an American celebrity chef, restaurateur, and reality television star. He’s hosted 16 shows on the Food Network and Cooking Channel. Throwdown with Bobby Flay was one of the most popular, and that was what Renee found herself in the midst of, a taping of the series!
“Bobby came up to me, thrilled he’s shocked me, and said, ‘Renee, I’d like to challenge you to a turkey and dressing throwdown.'”
Nothing exemplifies Renee’s ability to be thrown a curveball and toss it right back like her response of, “I’ll show you where to put your stuffing!”
“It was such an honor and so exciting,” Renee said. “It’s one of the most fun things I’ve ever done.”
From Turkey To Taking Care of Business
She went on to appear on television and radio shows and, of course, do book signings. Before she knew it, she was headed to Dallas where she began another chapter as the owner of the Junk King franchise — a company that makes life so much easier.
But of course, she still makes the holiday turkey in fact cooking is still a passion.
“These recipes are not just for holidays,” Renee said of her cookbook. “They were selected from family and friends’ favorite dishes. These are my go-to recipes and are easy to make!”
Talk Turkey to Me is a triple treat of practical guidance, funny stories, and great recipes. There’s still time to get the Kindle version before you embark on your Thanksgiving feast.
By the way, my turkey came out great! If I can do it, you can do it, and if you order a copy of Talk Turkey to Me, you simply cannot fail!
