You can see the full video and post at About.com

To see the video on About.com click here

Chef Soscia’s winning recipe was a Brasciole (pronounced bra’zhul) dish that she created for her Personal Chef Service clients. “I am always searching for recipes that work for me for my clients.  Often times I find that the best recipes are a blend of two or more proven dishes that compliment each other” Chef Soscia stated.

Chef Lia Soscia is owner/operator of Home Cooking Consultant, a Personal Chef Service operating in Long Island, NY since 2004.  Chef Soscia is a graduate of the Culinary Business Academy which provides specialized business development training for culinary talented individuals.

Judges for this annual competition consisted of professional members within the USPCA.  Chef Donna Mintz of Basil & Barbells PCS in New York stated “My vote is for Lia’s Brasciole.  I saw this recipe, tried it and OMG!  It was amazing and although the ingredient list is extensive, the recipe is not very difficult”.  ”This recipe is one I would and could use for clients. It freezes well, is written for pressure cooker – not my thing, but easily adapts to stovetop or oven” stated USPCA Certified Personal Chef Barbara Converse, owner of Dining By Design PCS in Boca Raton, FL.

Several hundred personal chefs from throughout the United States and Canada converged on New Orleans this July to participate in educational workshops, business seminars and to hear from industry experts on a wide variety of subjects of importance to independent culinary business operators. “The annual convention is primarily a business building and educational event designed to help independent personal chefs strengthen their business and expand their service” stated USPCA President Chef Gail Kenagy. She continued, “Each year we are faced with a huge stack of recipe entries. Judges spend countless hours reviewing and qualifying recipes.  This decision is not easy.  USPCA members are a creative bunch and always amaze me with their unique talents”.

Look for the winning recipe under our Recipe category.

http://www.westchestermagazine.com/Westchester-Magazine/Westchester-Home/Winter-2009/The-Quick-Comeback-of-the-Slow-Cooker/

For those of you who have utilized the services of one of our personal chef members, we thank you for your patronage and continuing support of the personal chef industry!  People like you understand that personal chefs aren’t only for the wealthy or celebrities.  For the last 5 years we been asked serve you and your guests at parties, prepare your weekly meals and teach you how to cook better.  We’ve even addressed your diet issues so that you can enjoy a healthier lifestyle, or we’ve consulted with you on a variety of food-related and cooking topics.

If you enjoyed the services provided by your NY Metro Personal Chef, don’t forget to tell them.  And, don’t keep us a secret!  Tell everyone you know -  your friends, family and co-workers -  all about the wonderful experiences you’ve had that can only be delivered by a professional NY Metro Personal Chef.  We will be glad you did and will serve them our best!

We wish all our clients a successful, healthy and delicious 2009!

I’m very honored that ReMARKable Palate has been nominated for a Podcast People’s Choice Award for the second year in a row!

Over 281,000 individuals nominated a total of 1,874 podcasts for 22 categories in the 2008 People’s Choice Podcast Awards! Out of those nominated, only 10 podcasts for each category make it to the actual voting round. With 22 categories, this means that of the 1,874 podcasts nominated, only 220 are eligible for this year’s 15 day voting period.

This award has a special process, you actually get to vote once each day during the 15 day voting period, from October 23rd through November 6th.

We are nominated with a number of shows that have HUGE and loyal followers, so we’ll ask you to be equally huge and loyal, and commit to voting once per day during the two week period.

And while you’re there, show some support for our friends nominated podcasts: Grammar Girl, Tips From the Top Floor, The Rest of Everest, Ramble Redhead, Chillcast with Anji Bee, as well as The Full Time Mom, Podcast Answer Man, and 4 other podcasts produced by our friends Cliff and Stephanie at GSPN. Congratulations!

The 2008 Excellence in Business Award winners are:

Chef of the Year
Wendy Gauthier

Chapter of the Year
Rocky Mountain Chapter

Community Service for a Chapter
Greater Philadelphia Chapter

Individual Community Service
Rachael Perron

Marketer of the Year
Mark Tafoya

Website of the Year
Sally Cameron – http://www.evgourmet.com

Best Recipe of the Year
Leah Peachey – Baked Crusted Haddock

Congratulations to NY Metro Chef member Mark Tafoya on winning Marketer of the Year for the 2nd time!

When I lived in Southern California as an analyst, I worked long days that started before the opening bell of the New York stock exchange (which translates into 6 a.m.). At the end of the day, as I stepped into my apartment door, the last thing I wanted to do was think about what I wanted to eat—or even worse, start cooking. So after going through a list of the main food groups in my head, it usually concluded with throwing a batch of pasta in boiling water and pouring on some tomato sauce from a jar. On better days maybe I would dig into the depths of my refrigerator to find leftover mushrooms and basil that weren’t scarred from old age. It’s a miracle that I was able to survive with this meal plan for quite some time.

After years of juggling a busy corporate schedule and evening dinner dilemmas, I eventually developed the passion to cook. I left my comfort zone and secure finance job in L.A. and moved to New York to attend the Institute of Culinary Education. After a few years of trying to figure out how to marry my enthusiasm for cooking and desire to work with my community, I stumbled onto an ad for the USPCA (U.S. Personal Chef Association), which taught me two valuable things: How I can provide excellent personal chef service and how to start and run a business. I opened Your Kitchen Companion Personal Chef Service (kitchencompanion.org) and am working for people with varying backgrounds, including new mothers, retirees, working professionals, and families.

The entire article can be found in the following link: 

http://www.canvasli.com/home-and-living/dinner-dilemmas-solved-by-a-personal-chef.htm

NY Metro Chapter member Mark Tafoya is on the cover of the latest Personal Chef Magazine. It’s the main magazine for our industry, and Chef Mark is honored to have been chosen for it. The article tells the story and the circuitous way he came into being a personal chef.

More images:

Photos by Kelly Shimoda/Veras

(PRWEB) February 14, 2008 — The New York Metro Chapter of the United States Personal Chef Association (USPCA) is proud to announce a second donation drive for culinary spices, ingredients and tools as well as personal items to be shipped overseas to bring the taste of home to our active duty troops.

In 2005, the NY Metro Chapter of Personal Chefs collected and sent donations of spices, specialty ingredients, and other items not readily available to chefs in military kitchens to Pat Day, a personal chef out of Houston, TX who put aside her personal chef business to take a position cooking for our troops stationed at military bases in Afghanistan.

In December 2007, the New York Metro Chapter of Personal Chefs received a certificate of recognition from B Company, 2-227th Aviation Regiment 1st Cavalry Division “Nightbirds” along with an American Flag which was dedicated to The New York Chapter of US Personal Chef Association Chefs and flown on a military mission in Iraq on December 10, 2007 in recognition of their support of our troops. Enclosed with the flag was a personal note from Pat Day with her thanks. “We were often under blackout,” stated Pat, “and had trouble getting many of the necessities at that time, so we had to make the magic happen in the middle of the dessert when supplies did not arrive. Thanks to your donations we won several awards for best tasting food in the region and your group helped make that happen. You wouldn’t believe how many soldiers during the holidays said it was the best home cooked meal they ever had…it really brought tears to all our eyes.”

Pat Day is now stationed in Iraq and is “still making the magic happen,” and, says Pat, “it’s all about teamwork for the troops.” The New York Metro Chapter of Personal Chefs are eager to help Pat and her kitchen team again. The Chapter is asking for local businesses along with individuals to join in this second culinary ingredient and tool drive. Specifically, the NY Metro Personal Chefs Chapter is looking for spices, seasonings, non-perishable specialty ingredients, culinary tools and any culinary items that can be shipped overseas. They are also looking for a donor to support the shipment of these donations to the base in Iraq.

“It is such an honor to have received this flag. You can’t imagine how please our Chapter members were find out how what we considered a relatively small donation, in comparison to the 4000 personnel Pat and her fellow chefs fed daily, benefited so many of our men and women serving our country in Afghanistan and Iraq,” states Jennifer Urda, President, New York Metro Chapter. “We are eager to continue to support these hardworking chefs with special ingredients that can delight and energize our troops by allowing the chefs abroad cook tasty, home-style meals. Our ability to continue collecting and sending as many ingredients as we can to Pat and her kitchen team is the best way we can show our support,” states Glenn Burgess, Vice President, New York Metro Chapter.

The 2008 Spice Drive begins February 14, 2008 and will continue for as long as the Chapter receives donations. If you are interested in donating or learning more about the NY Metro Chapter of the USPCA, please call 1-800-358-2857 or visit http://www.NYPersonalChefs.com for more information.

http://www.lohud.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061110/CUSTOM02/611100306/1282

November 14, 2006 – Mark Tafoya of ReMARKable Palate Personal Chef Service was featured In the Wall Street Journal, on FineLiving’s AskMen.com and on AOL’s homepage as one of YSN.com’s Young and Successful series. AskMen article AOL article

November 1, 2006 – Vickie Kirlick of Traveling Gourmet in River Vale, NJ has recently contracted with Fagor America, Inc. to do demonstrations of their high-quality stainless steel pressure cookers and promote the personal chef industry at Macy’s Herald Square and at Fortunoff’s in New Jersey.

October, 2006 – Jennifer Urda of The Runcible Spoon in Westchster, NY conducted a cooking demo for “Helping Hands” of Westchester to help them raise money to provide much-needed funds to several local organizations that provide services for the poor. Some of the programs they support are: Hope House Food Pantry, Open Door Family Medical Center, Grace Church Soup Kitchen & Empty School Bags.

October 20, 2006 – Vanda Azevedo of Shilloh Personal Chef Service in Westbury, NY is the secretary of the NY Chapter. This year Chef Vanda joined the Williams Sonoma Store in the Roosevelt Field Mall developing recipes to promote W.S. products. Chef Vanda’s services promote a healthy living lifestyle and in support of that focus, Chef Vanda moderated a teleseminar on Health and Energy in October. In addition, Chef Vanda
offers a variety of Asian cooking classes, including the art of making sushi.

September 15, 2006 – Lia Soscia of Home Cooking Consultant Personal Chef Service in Long Island, NY joined the Viking Cooking School at Loaves and Fishes in Garden City, NY as a Chef Instructor for their culinary classes. She is a featured writer for the LongIslandGuide.com with her column “Dinner with Chef Lia” and is a member of the Test Kitchen team at the GildedFork.com. She recently filmed a cooking lesson for a popular TV show on The Learning Channel, scheduled to air in January 2007. Lia serves as Media Director for USPCA NY Metro Chapter.

September 10, 2006 – Sarah Copeland of Sarah Copeland Cuisine has been preparing a variety of delicious, nutritious meals for clients who love to eat but are too busy to cook for themselves. Busy professionals and working families are taking advantage of the free time that this service provides them.

September, 2006 – Wendy Collett of Creative Cuisine By Collett has teamed up with Equinox Gym of Roslyn, New York to help gym members reach their fitness and weight loss goals. Chef Collett works in conjunction with the personal training staff to augment their fine work by providing healthy and delicious meals that are packed with flavor — not calories and fat.

August 30, 2006 – Jonathan Taube of Rocky Rill Foods in White Plains, NY was recently selected as one of Westchester’s Best Personal Chefs by InTown Magazine. In addition, Jonathan recently attained his Certified Personal Chef status from the USPCA. He teaches cooking classes to sold-out crowds at Williams-Sonoma at The Westchester Mall in White Plains.

August 6, 2006 – The USPCA has awarded its annual Excellence in Business Awards at the national conference in St. Louis. Two of our NY Metro chefs were honored. Mark Tafoya was named Marketer of the Year, and Vickie Kirlick of The Traveling Gourmet was awarded the Boiling point 212° award for Personal Chef of the Year! Congratulations to both of them.

July 26, 2006 – Chef Donna Mintz of Basil & Barbells was lauded by Moxxie.com as “The Thigh Whisperer”, and a gal’s secret weapon for helping to stay fit with customized exercise plans as well as help in the kitchen.

Read the entire article at Moxxie

July 2006 – Lia Soscia is a featured writer for the Long Island Guide. Check out her column “Dinner with Chef Lia” on the homepage http://longislandguide.com.

June 15, 2006 – Chef Ryan Brown of Choice Cooking Co. was featured in a Wall Street Journal article about Personal Chefs. The article featured his delivery service!

May 23, 2006 – Chef Mark Tafoya was featured Canada wide on the CBC Radio program Food For Thought. The interview featured his work as a personal chef and his work with the Culinary Podcast Network.

To read more and hear the interview: Food For Thought

March 20, 2006 – Chef Mark Tafoya has created the Culinary Podcast Network, hosted and presented by The Gilded Fork. Bringing together 11 food related podcasts, the CPN is a one stop source for all the best food related talk on the internet, inlcuding Chef Ming Tsai’s Simply Ming Vidcast. In it’s second week, the CPN has jumped to the #2 spot on iTunes Food Podcast listings!

Read more about it at : www.culinarypodcastnetwork.com, or subscribe via iTunes.

March 6, 2006 – Jonathan Taube of Rocky Rill Personal Chef Service was cited in a Hudson Valley Magazine article about Personal Chefs. He was listed as one of the 4 standout chefs in the area for customized personal chef services!

February 1, 2006 – The ReMARKable Palate Podcast was cited in Time Out New York as a notable New York based Food Podcast. “Manhattan-based actor-turned-personal-chef Mark Tafoya combines his two greatest loves, food and performing, in his weekly show that usually runs about a half hour. His episodes have an unpredictable, New Agey vibe: One week it’s an in-depth interview with his neighborhood Greenmarket manager, another week it’s a discussion of Michelin stars or his favorite recipe for broiled salmon.”

Read the entire story here:

http://www.timeout.com/newyork/Details.do?xyurl=xyl://TONYWebArticles1/540/eat_out/sound_bites.xml

January 29, 2006 – NY Metro Chapter featured in the Sunday New York Times! The Long Island Journal section featured photos of Glenn Burgess and Vanda Azevedo, and quoted Cathy Toritto and Mark Tafoya.

Click here to read the full article (expand your browser to full size)

January 26, 2006 – Chef Mark Tafoya of ReMARKable Palate has earned the title of Certified Personal Chef (CPC) by the USPCA. The designation of Certified Personal Chef is the industry’s highest mark of excellence, indicating a recognized endorsement of demonstrated expertise. Personal Chefs honored as CPC’s have earned this designation through education, experience and professionalism. Clients can be assured the Personal Chefs with a CPC designation represent the upper tier within their profession and are committed to excellence.

January 13, 2006 – Chef Glenn Burgess of Supper’s Ready Personal Chef Service has become a contributing writer at the “foodie” website www.sallys-place.com Read his most recent article, “In Praise of Blue M&M’s” here: http://www.sallys-place.com/food/single-articles/blue_mm.htm

January 10, 2006 – The NY Chapter is helping to make Valentine’s Day a little more special for Metro New Yorkers by offering special consultations and Gift Certificates to celebrate this special day of romance. Please see the Chef Directory to find one of our members near you, and we will be happy to craft a special treat for you and your sweetie!

January 5, 2006 – Mark Tafoya has been named Executive Chef of the Test Kitchen for The Gilded Fork, a leading culinary website which celebrates the sensual pleasures of food. Chef Mark will be responsible for recipe development and articles about cuisine from a multicultural perspective.

December 15, 2005 – Bon Appetit magazine touts Mark Tafoya’s ReMARKable Palate Podcast as one of the “early standouts of this nascent medium”.

August 29, 2005 – Chef Mark Tafoya is now the host of a twice a week audio show, The ReMARKable Palate Podcast.  It’s a food and culture show which features cooking tips, recipes, spotlight ingredients, and interviews with purveyors, food producers and other chefs.  You can subscribe, and have the show downloaded directly to your ipod or mp3 player.  The show is linked at the foodblog:  http://remarkablepalate.blogspot.com

August 15, 2005 – NY Personal Chefs Appear on TV! Members of the NY Metro Chapter appeared on WLIW channel 21, the Long Island PBS station, answering phones as part of their regular membership pledge drive on Monday, August 15 from 8-11 PM. The programs was “Summer in Sicily”.

July 25, 2005 – 7 of our members attended the USPCA National conference in Atlanta July 22-25.  Pictured are:  Top Row – Cathy Torritto, Jennifer Urda, Jonathan Taube, Vickie Kirlick, and Glenn Burgess;  Front Row – Mark Tafoya and Vanda Azevedo

May 30, 2005 – Glenn E. Burgess of Supper’s Ready Personal Chef Service, Inc. is doing his part to help the fundraising efforts of the Hagedorn Little Village School – Jack Joel Center for Special Children in Seaford, NY.  At their 14th annual golf tournament on June 6, 2005, held at Tam O’Shanter Club, one lucky auction winner will receive a special four-course dinner for two, which Chef Burgess will prepare in their home.

May 26, 2005 – Mark Tafoya of ReMARKable Palate has teamed with Mersy Productions and StreetLight Pictures to shoot the pilot for a new cooking TV show with an interesting International twist.  The producers will be shopping the pilot to networks, so watch this space for more news soon!

May12, 2005 – Lia Soscia, Owner of Home Cooking Consultant now has a monthly cooking column on http://longislandmag.com/.  Check it out!

May 3, 2005 – Mark Tafoya, President of the NY Metro Chapter, and owner of ReMARKable Palate, was published in the May/June issue of Personal Chef Magazine.  He wrote an in depth article about international cuisines and how Personal Chefs can incorporate them into their service.  He shared several of his Thai and Vietnamese recipes.

April 27, 2005 – Donna Mintz of Basil & Barbells was featured in the May issue of Health Magazine, in an article about personal chefs helping their clients lose weight.

Read the full story here: http://www.health.com/health/article/0%2C23414%2C1047337%2C00.html

April 26, 2005 – Mark Tafoya, owner of ReMARKable Palate, has been named exclusive culinary consultant and demonstration chef for Granoff Caviar, LTD.  “I’m excited to be representing Granoff’s Black Label line at the upcoming National Restaurant Association Show in Chicago May 21-24, demonstrating the many uses of this fine new gourmet product.” says Chef Tafoya.  Granoff is a caviar alternative that is capturing the attention of a growing number of chefs since its introduction at the New York Fancy Foods Show in 2004, where Chef Tafoya created a number of innovative dishes.  An affordable option, this caviar can be used in all of the same ways as traditional caviar. It also has the added benefit of being used with hot foods, unlike caviar. Taste tests place Granoff close to Osetra caviar in flavor and close to Beluga with its buttery texture, with a clean finish and no after-taste.

Read the full story here: http://www.prweb.com/releases/2005/4/prweb232796.htm

April 26, 2005 – The NY Area USPCA Chefs Drive for Spices to Feed our Troops in Afghanistan – Jennifer Urda, Vice President of the NY Metro Chapter of USPCA and owner of The Runcible Spoon, is heading up our first charitable event: Spices to Feed our Troops. USPCA Chef Pat Day from Houston decided to put her Personal Chef business on hold in order to go to Afghanistan as a chef with Brown and Root, cooking for our troops stationed there.  So we at the NY Chapter have organized a drive to put together a shipment of spices for Pat and her fellow chefs to use to feed our troops. If you are interested in contributing, please contact Jennifer at: RuncibleSpoonPCS@aol.com

Read the full story here:http://www.prweb.com/releases/2005/4/prweb232460.htm

April 10, 2005 – Donna Mintz, owner of Basil & Barbells was featured on National TV!  Business Week Money Talks interviewed Donna for their Personal Business segment.  Donna discussed her business, and explained how a personal chef service works.  The interview ran on ABC on Sunday April 10.

March, 2005 – Donna Mintz, Personal Chef and Owner of Basil & Barbells, was recently interviewed in an article for American Fitness Magazine March/April 2005 “Pots, Pans and Push-Ups”.
The article discusses how Donna’s busines was born out of the idea that healthy is not about being thin.  A healthy diet is not a weight loss program; It is a way of life. By offering personal chef and personal training services, we help our clients achieve their ultimate health goals.

March, 2005 – Glenn Burgess, Personal Chef and Owner of Supper’s Ready Personal Chef Service, Inc. was published in the March ‘05 issue of Personal Chef Magazine.  He wrote a down-to-earth account of the early stages of starting your own Personal Chef business.  Glenn took time to share his thoughts on obstacles and solutions to those obstacles that can keep you on the right track!

March, 2005 – Lia Soscia, Personal Chef and Owner of Home Cooking Consultant was recently interviewed by Chef Educator Today for an upcoming article about career options for culinary students.  She was also welcomed by her local Chamber of Commerce in Bellmore with a formal ribbon cutting ceremony that included local legislator David Denenberg and Assemblywoman Maureen O’Connell.

January, 2005 – Mark Tafoya, Personal Chef and Owner of ReMARKable Palate Personal Chef Service, was interviewed by a camera crew from Yale University for a television show called “Bulldog Profiles”, which features Yale Alums who have chosen unusual career paths.  He spoke about his circuitous route from the Ivy League to teaching French, to Broadway, and on to the Culinary world.