We’ve already told you the many reasons to hire a personal chef and cooking lessons is one of these reasons. Interactive cooking classes have been growing in popularity. Hosting a hands-on cooking class as entertainment in your own home is a “good thing” for a bridal party according to Martha Stewart and her bloggers! See the blog at Martha Stewart Weddings

Interactive cooking classes in your own kitchen conducted by one of our trained chefs is perfect for any occasion and makes a great gift that is unique and very thoughtful!

Happy cooking,

Chef Lia Soscia, CPC

Dinner Dilemmas Solved by a Personal Chef

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

Considered by many to be the “Oscars” of the food industry, the James Beard Awards were announced last night in a ceremony held at Lincoln Center’s Avery Fisher Hall:

OUTSTANDING RESTAURATEUR
Joe Bastianich/Mario Batali
Babbo Ristorante e Enoteca, NYC

OUTSTANDING CHEF
Grant Achatz
Alinea, Chicago

OUTSTANDING RESTAURANT
Gramercy Tavern, NYC
Owner: Danny Meyer

BEST NEW RESTAURANT
Central Michel Richard, Washington, DC
Chef/Owner: Michel Richard

RISING STAR CHEF OF THE YEAR AWARD
Gavin Kaysen
Café Boulud, NYC

OUTSTANDING PASTRY CHEF AWARD
Elisabeth Prueitt and Chad Robertson
Tartine Bakery, San Francisco

OUTSTANDING WINE SERVICE AWARD
Eleven Madison Park, NYC
Wine Director: John Ragan

OUTSTANDING WINE AND SPIRITS PROFESSIONAL AWARD
Terry Theise
Terry Theise Estate Selections, Silver Spring, MD

OUTSTANDING SERVICE AWARD
Terra, St. Helena, CA
Owners: Hiro Sone and Lissa Doumani

BEST CHEFS IN AMERICA

BEST CHEF: PACIFIC (CA, HI)
Craig Stoll
Delfina, San Franciso

BEST CHEF: MID-ATLANTIC (DC, DE, MD, NJ, PA, VA)
Eric Ziebold
CityZen, Washington, DC

BEST CHEF: MIDWEST (IA, KS, MN, MO, NE, ND, SD, WI)
Adam Siegel
Bartolotta’s Lake Park Bistro, Milwaukee

BEST CHEF: GREAT LAKES (IL, IN, MI, OH)
Carrie Nahabedian
Naha, Chicago

BEST CHEF: NEW YORK CITY (FIVE BOROUGHS)
David Chang
Momofuku Ssäm Bar

BEST CHEF: NORTHEAST (CT, MA, ME, NH, NY STATE, RI, VT)
Patrick Connolly
Radius, Boston

BEST CHEF: NORTHWEST (AK, ID, MT, OR, WA, WY)
Holly Smith
Café Juanita, Kirkland, WA

BEST CHEF: SOUTHEAST (GA, KY, NC, SC, TN, WV)
Robert Stehling
Hominy Grill, Charleston, SC

BEST CHEF: SOUTHWEST (AZ, CO, NM, NV, OK, TX, UT)
Lachlan Mackinnon-Patterson
Frasca Food and Wine, Boulder, CO

BEST CHEF: SOUTH (AL, AR, FL, LA, MS)
Michelle Bernstein
Michy’s, Miami

Welcome June! Here’s to great weather and lots of time spent with family around the barbecue grill! Throw a steak on the grill to celebrate National Beef Steak Month. Or get creative and dream up the ultimate burger with a chance to win $50,000 in the “Build a Better Burger with Sutter Home” contest http://www.buildabetterburger.com/ now through August 18. What could be better with the ultimate burger than a cold glass of iced tea (yep, it’s National Iced Tea Month). If your sweet tooth is calling you, go ahead, have a donut on the first Friday in June – it’s the Salvation Army’s National Donut Day. You may well ask “why donuts?” Back during World War I, the Salvation Army offered its service to then President Woodrow Wilson. They created a War Service League, enabling many on the homefront to assist in the war effort by knitting, sewing, etc. However, some Salvation Army personnel, including women, were sent to the front lines in Europe. They conducted religious services, held concerts, and provided a “home away from home” for our soldiers. From limited rations, they chose to make donuts as a special treat, frying up to 9,000 each day. During subsequent wars, a donut from the Salvation Army has been a comforting treat for many a soldier.

Speaking of our soldiers, let us all remember to proudly raise the Stars and Stripes on National Flag Day – June 14.

Bon Appetit!

Chef Glenn Burgess

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

My brother-in-law just built his dream house 2,000 feet up the side of a mountain in North Carolina. By extension, my sister-in-law just built her dream kitchen. It’s a lovely open design, oak cabinets, sage green walls, brand new stainless appliances. The view across the kitchen sink is of a valley with the French Broad River snaking between two mountains, the sound of it’s rushing water a pleasant undertone to the call of birds, the buzzing of hummingbird wings and the rustling of the leaves. I’m most envious of all the cabinets & counter space that she has (why is it that most people with families make do living in a fairly small home, then when the kids are about to leave for college they upgrade to a home four times the size?) And we won’t even discuss her pantries (yes folks, not just one but two pantries….)

When we visited, they were still in the process of unpacking. While they waited for their dream home to be built, they rented a house even smaller than their home on Long Island, so much of their “stuff” has been in storage for nearly two years. My sister-in-law said it was like Christmas all over again, going through boxes and rediscovering all her treasures, unseen for so long.

You can’t put a personal chef in a brand new kitchen and not think he won’t want to cook, so they quickly adapted to me making dinner. It’s my way of thanking them for letting us stay in their home. The paint in the house is barely dry, and I’m trying to replace that new carpet smell with the aromas of roasted chicken and frying bacon.

Speaking of bacon, a trip to the grocery store in North Carolina provided some fresh perspective on the culinary differences between the North and the South. I have never before seen “hog jowl bacon” for sale, but you can find it at Ingles grocery store. Should you need it, you can also buy “cracklins” in a convenient 1lb package. It’s definitely different down there.

At least my sister-in-law actually uses her kitchen. She cooks, she even bakes cookies from scratch. Even my brother-in-law can hold his own; he used to do a lot of the cooking at his firehouse before he retired from the NYC Fire Department. So I don’t begrudge her a kitchen three times the size of mine. Ok, so I’m insanely jealous of her double convection ovens. I’ll get over it. At least until the next time we visit.

Bon Appetit!

Chef Glenn Burgess

Ah, April. It is the first full month of Spring, so naturally we are very happy to be released from winter’s icy grasp; yet we are warned to expect “April Showers” (clearly “May Flowers” had a better PR agent); of course there is April Fool’s Day and everyone knows April 15^th is income tax day…..Ah, April. A dubious month indeed! To foodies, April is National Pecan Month, National Soyfoods Month; we can participate in Share Our Strength’s Great American Bake Sale; and those feeling creative in the kitchen can enter Pillsbury Bake-Off® (this year’s grand prize is $1 million). Here’s a few other interesting food happenings from Aprils long ago. April 1873- The first commercially successful margarine manufacturing process was patented by Alfred Paraf of New York. April 1927- Clarence Birdsye patented frozen fish fingers. April 1931 - The Hostess Twinkie was sold for the first time. Did you know it originally featured a banana cream filling? During World War II there was a banana shortage, so they switched to the now familiar “vanilla” cream filling. April 1938 – Teflon was not so much invented as it was accidentally discovered. Du Pont researcher Roy J. Plunkett discovered the chemical compound polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE for short; later marketed as Teflon) in an apparently defective cylinder of perfluoroethylene gas.

April 1954 - The TV Dinner was introduced by Swanson.

Enjoy!

Chef Glenn Burgess

Spring is here! What does that mean for me? Clean up all those empty planting containers from the garage that have laid dormant during the winter and start planting my favorite cooking herbs.

I can think of 2 happy memories that hooked me to use herbs. The first was when my husband and I started dating and he showed up at my doorstep with a bunch of fragrant basil instead of flowers. What a great idea…my heart was instantly taken! The second was when I caught an awful stomach bug and couldn’t keep food down. At the end of the second day I was so desperate that I took the advice of a co-worker to mix equal parts of cardamom, fennel, and mint. It tasted awful but it did the trick in just a couple hours. There are so many useful properties of herbs that go beyond potpourri, aromatherapy or garnish. For cooking, herbs can be used as a tenderizer, coloring, flavoring, and to improve health. It’s a smart substitute for individuals that need to watch sodium, sugar, fat, and cholesterol intake. For home use, an elaborate flower garden can get a bit expensive so herbs can be a wonderful replacement or natural accent. Guests will appreciate the natural look and aromas as they walk up to your front door….and what better way than to just step outside your door and pick your own herbs for dinner!

When it comes to cooking, I use the terminology of herbs and spices interchangeably since both come from aromatic plants. The difference is the botanical composition and culinary use. Spices come from the aromatic part of a woody plant, retain its strong fragrance, and are low in moisture. The fact that it comes from a tough part of a plant makes it more difficult to digest. Spices should be used with moderation because of the strong aromatic and digestive properties. Some examples include ginger, cinnamon, bay leaf, nutmeg, mace, cloves, anise, and juniper. Spices are ideal for recipes that require longer cooking time, marinating, or tenderizing.

Fresh herbs come from the aromatic leaves of a plant and the stems that never develop into tough bark. As a result, it is much more delicate and sensitive to heat. High heat or long exposure to it will cause the herb to turn black and lose its flavor so herbs should be added to a dish at the last minute or toward the end of cooking. Examples of herbs include basil, cilantro, oregano, thyme, rosemary, parsley, and dill. This applies to fresh herbs. Herbs can also be dried which means that it has a longer shelf-life than fresh ones. Since it is dry, longer cooking time brings out the flavor of dried herbs. It can also be used for dry rubs or marinades.

So now that Herbs and Spices 101 is covered, what recipes would make sense for each one? The answer can be very subjective and challenging. For example, I cannot stand anything floral or even a pinch of sage in ANY of my food. It smells great as a room freshener but I really don’t like to taste anything floral. Also, some people love handfuls of herbs in their dishes where others are fine with just a pinch. Another thing to consider is just like wine pairing, certain herbs and spices fit well with specific ingredients. Oregano and tomato sauce, dill and fish, chile powder and chile con carne. Though these can be typical pairings consider chile powder as a great marinade for fish and scallops while adding a great color to the dish. Sprinkle it over eggs or potatoes. Try to experiment, think outside the realm of traditional dishes and be creative when it comes to accenting a dish.

Below are some herb or spice blends that lend a new level of flavor for various dishes. You can incorporate multiple herbs to one dish depending on what you want to accomplish.

Herb Citrus Blend: reduces the need for strong salt and fat flavors. Good for vegetables, fruit salads, fish, lentil, and grain dishes.

1 tbsp dried thyme

1 tbsp dried oregano

2 tsp dried basil

1 tsp ground dried rosemary

1 tspn ground dried sage

1 ½ tsp ground dried orange zest

1 ½ tsp ground dried lemon zest

1 tsp ground fennel seeds

All-Purpose salt-free herb seasoning: substitute for salt

2 tbsp dried thyme

1 tbsp dried marjoram

1 tbsp dried lemon verbena

1 tbsp celery seeds

1 tbsp dried minced garlic

1 tsp paprika

Herb blend for soups:

½ cup dried parsley

¼ cup dried lemon thyme

2 tbsp dried marjoram 1 tbsp dried rosemary

1 tbsp dried tarragon

1 tbsp dried lemon verbena

Thai Herb Blend

½ cup dried thai basil

½ cup dried lemon basil

¼ dried peppermint

¼ cup dried cilantro

¼ cup dried chives

2 tbsp dried lemon zest

2 tbsp dried minced lemongrass

2 tsp five spice powder

2 tsp crushed dried mild chile peppers

Chef Luella Semmes

Vegetarian options are getting a little more attention this Easter thanks to main course dishes such as Mushroom lasagna bolognese. The dish includes a flavorful combination of porcini, portobello, shiitake and cremini mushrooms. Side options include Smoky Roman beans and Chipotle-infused greens. The Washington Post (3/19)

March is a great for foodies. This year we celebrate Easter, National Frozen Food Month; the federal government designated the second week of March as National School Breakfast Week. There are “extremist” groups as well, promoting the evils of caffeine during National Caffeine Awareness Month® (those of you who can’t function without your morning cup are most certainly aware!) to a call for vegetarianism on The Great American Meat Out Day (March 20, or the first day of spring).

And you thought there were only St. Patrick’s Day and the obligatory corned beef & cabbage dinner!

However, there is another food-story during March that few Americans know: Duncan Hines was born (March 26, 1880) and died (March 15, 1959) during this month. You didn’t realize Duncan Hines was a real person? Not surprising, considering the attention given Betty Crocker (a purely fictional persona).

The biography “Duncan Hines: The Man Behind the Cake Mix” by Louis Hatchett provides a fascinating look at the life of arguably the most powerful man on the American food scene during the mid 20^th century. Although slightly dry and scholarly (it started as Mr. Hatchett’s thesis for his Master’s degree), the book is definitely worth seeking out. It provides glimpses of American life from 1936-1959 that are in many ways still relevant to us in 2008. We still purchase travel guides to help us find lodgings and restaurants (think Fodor’s and Zagat), and we still purchase convenience foods to make our lives easier (think Duncan Hines cake mixes).

Duncan Hines was a salesman and his hobby was seeking out good, local places to eat during his travels. Other salesmen who knew of Hines’ hobby eagerly sought his advice on where they might a good meal. Demand for this information eventually forced him to publish it in the form of a guide book, and in 1936 he self-published Adventures in Good Eating, a guide to roadside restaurants. The success of his book was predicated on the trust people placed in his recommendations. Duncan Hines did not accept paid endorsements from any restaurant, and went to great lengths to ensure that those establishments he recommended had consistently good food and sanitary kitchens. Why should this have been so important? Back in those days, refrigeration and widespread food safety knowledge were not the norm. Travelers who ate in restaurants literally took a chance with their lives; death from food poisoning was not uncommon. (This may sound almost comical to today’s traveler, who typically partakes of chain restaurant food, regulated by public health departments nationwide.) If a restaurant refused his request to inspect their kitchen he not only would not recommend it, he would not even eat there. So great was his influence on public opinion that both the restaurant industry and the hotel/motel industry were forced to maintain his high standards, or risk losing the patronage of his readers, often representing a significant portion of their business.

The Duncan Hines that most of us know, the name on the box of cake mix, did not come about until he was 68 years old. He agreed to lend his endorsement to a variety of food products – over 60 brands ranging from bread to canned pears. The first Duncan Hines branded product to hit store shelves? Ice cream, not cake mix.

In 1956 Procter & Gamble purchased Duncan Hines (yes it was happening even back then), eventually selling the brand to Aurora Foods in 1998. The brand was sold again in 2004 to Pinnacle Foods and the product line is limited to cake, brownie, muffin & cookie mixes; canned frostings, and the new “oven ready” brownies.

Though “big business” appears to have dealt rather roughly with the brand name Duncan Hines, his native state of Kentucky and Pinnacle Foods (as a financial sponsor) treat the memory of the person rather well. Bowling Green, the town he was born & died in, pays homage to their native son with the “Duncan Hines Festival” (August 14-16, 2008), and since 2007 The Kentucky Library and Museum has featured the exhibit “Recommended by Duncan Hines” where visitors can learn about “the man behind the cake mix”.

Bon Appetit!

Chef Glenn Burgess