Who needs a private chef?

Who wouldn’t want a pro picking out the best produce at the market on a regular basis, making it so all you had to do is open the fridge and...?

Your food dreams come true! You’re in your own private restaurant where I’m cooking just for you. Meanwhile, you’ve been busy doing other things you love.

- I offer cooking services perfect for couples who want to spend quality time together, and be surrounded by good food at home. You get to save on time you might otherwise be spending going to the grocery store, planning, maybe researching, accommodating one another’s dietary or taste preferences…Instead, you get to bond with your partner over just the enjoyment part of eating at home. The same goes for families who want more freedom to enjoy meals together without having to shop, prep, or scrub pots and pans.

- For the person who wants meals and snacks to fuel them throughout busy days, having gourmet food present without having to break from what you are doing is an effective and balanced approach to keeping your edge, and keeping up with the pace. For people who want to take an especially mindful approach to eating, such as to support healing or address a specific health concern, having an experienced chef take care of food can be a vital resource.

- I also instruct anyone who wants private lessons in Italian cooking, vegetarian cooking, or pastry and baking. This is ideal for people who want to learn how to make the most out of their kitchen, because I come to your kitchen and we cook together. I can show you new recipes and cooking techniques that make you a faster and more diverse cook. I also help groups of friends, families, or coworkers to plan and host meals where everyone cooks together.

How does it work?

When you arrive at home your favorite items are there, prepared for you. Or, when you want to entertain, you have an expert to plan and prepare the food for you and your guests.

By sharing info about needs, expectations, and favorite things to eat we find an exact service offer that’s a good match for you. This might be a process of trying out different offers and seeing what you enjoy the most, or coming up with a modified offer that’s just right to you. After we discuss, an agreement will be written up so we can have a guide to refer to as we go along.

When I arrive at your house, I unpack everything from the store to wash and arrange ingredients for snack, lunch, and dinner making. I prepare what I’ve brought, and clean as I go.

Also, by choosing a service that offers pantry and refrigerator care you get the added benefit of having me maintain and stock your ideal pantry and refrigerator. This means I anticipate your supply needs and tastes to delight you by having things on hand for you when you want them without your having to ask. I also take time to deal with messes, spills, small important details, long lost leftovers, or anything at all going on with the refrigerator, freezer, or pantry, so you don’t have to.

What does it mean when you say you will do personal household shopping?

I offer three different shopping arrangements depending on the offer you choose to best suit your needs. The first, most basic offer is for me to spend time shopping for meal and snack ingredients only.

Secondly, I would be happy to do more by spending extra time picking up any basic household necessities that you request while I’m doing the shopping for ingredients.

Thirdly, personal household shopping is conveniently taken care of for you in many of the offers. This means I anticipate household staples, as well as your favorite grocery items to have at home. In addition, I take care of your pantry and refrigerator to make them ideal – comforting, clean, and delightful to you!

What special kinds of things have you been hired for in the past?

-Outfitting new kitchens and vacation sites with high quality appliances and food supplies.
-Pantry and kitchen makeovers such as for Gluten Free, Sugar Free, and macrobiotic foods.
-Paleo diet, GAPS diet, Low FODMAPS plan, and Specific Carbohydrate Diet.
-Gifts for newlyweds, expecting couples, new parents, and young families.
-Having meals and supplies brought to a parent or older relative who has stopped driving.
-Endurance foods for cross country Cycling.

How much time is included in a full day?

From 3 to 14 hours, depending on details of the service you choose.

How are meals and snacks presented?

On platters or in individual sealed glass containers. It’s up to you.

Or

Compostable cardboard containers and reusable glass jars are also available.

Enjoy foods hot or cold, all reheating tips will be on the label along with ingredients and the date.

Who takes care of the containers?

I offer container service to make your life easier. If you choose one of the weekly offers that include container service, I take care of all containers.

The other option is taking care of empty food containers on your own. You refresh your refrigerator between visits by removing used containers, and washing and storing them in your kitchen. A third option would be if you choose to use cardboard containers that you toss when empty.

What’s included in a meal or snack?

When I cook for you the number of people or servings included in a meal or snack is ultimately your choice to make based on your needs and budget. Time allows for 4 servings per meal and snack. So if you are a family of 2 you’d be getting the added value of enough food for an additional day or serving of each item at no extra charge.

Of course, if you are a household of fewer than 4 and would prefer to limit servings that would be no problem at all. A lot of people like to have leftovers. Some people really don’t. I usually do…I think some foods even taste better the second day.

Can you give me an example of what a typical meal might be?

A typical breakfast might be:

Chilaquiles with Scrambled Egg-whites, Bacon, and Broccoli
Fresh Squeezed OJ, and Fresh Melon

A typical lunch might be:

Quinoa Salad with parsley, basil, and cilantro, marinated red onion, bell pepper, celery, cherry tomatoes, grapes, toasted pine nuts, and lemon vinaigrette

or

Red Lentil and Carrot Soup with lemon
Roasted, Marinated Veggies and Greens Salad with parmesan and pear

or

Grilled Skirt Steak Salad with roasted potatoes and arugula

A typical dinner might be:

Minestrone Genovese
Grilled Bread with Roasted Garlic, Crumbled Roasted Cauliflower, and Parmesan
Flattened Chicken Breast with thyme, crushed red chili, lemon, and garlic
Creamy Polenta, Sautéed Spinach
‘Mazarese’ Baby Pistachio Cakes, Whipped Cream, Fresh Figs

or

Handmade Chicken Tortellini, Tomato Basil Sauce
Leafy Greens salad, walnut oil and lemon vinaigrette
Warm Apple Vanilla Crumble

Snack – fruits, yogurt with pine nuts and honey, cheeses, salsas, chips, raw veggie crudités, popcorn, assorted nuts, homemade nut milks and nut butters, veggie crackers, dips and spreads, smoothies, small salads, mini blueberry bran muffins, sushi bars, veggie burritos, spinach-rice nuggets, risotto cakes, roasted meats, roasted veggie skewers

A typical dinner party for 12 might be:

‘Polpettone’ Turkey Meatloaf with currants and pine nuts, Peperonata Sauce
Potatoes ‘alla Nonna’ and Broccoli with walnut oil and shaved parmesan
Bibb lettuce and herb salad with balsamic vinaigrette, Popovers
Chocolate Chip Zucchini Cake with whipped cream and maple-berry sauce

or

Grilled Focaccia with Pear and Gorgonzola, Wild Arugula and Baby Spinach
Braised Beef Short rib, Buttermilk Potato-Broccoli Mash
Slow-cooked Kale with rosemary and garlic

Muddled Pineapple, Honey and Prosecco Zabaglione

How would I select foods based on allergies, sensitivities, likes, dislikes, carb, calorie, or sugar needs?

I guarantee that if you let me know about specific do’s and don’ts of cooking for you I will gladly observe and stay current with those guidelines at all times.

I am familiar with a large range of eating styles such as vegetarian, vegan, macrobiotic, gluten free, Low FODMAPS, GAPS, SCD, low carb., sugar free, and paleo. I welcome and support all communicated food needs in order to help you be at your best through eating well.

Are you certified and insured?

Yup! I’m a certified professional food handler, licensed with LA County, and I have liability and workers comp. (also health insurance, car insurance, and tax accounting).

How did you get into this….cooking in people’s homes?

I started making desserts for a Washington DC catering company while I was an undergraduate. I moved to New York to continue cooking, and worked in some of the city’s best Italian restaurants under executive chef Jody Williams. In NYC I cooked in restaurants distinguished by their high quality creative foods, and also their big name owners such as Giorgio DeLuca, Keith McNally, and Danny Meyer. I went to pastry school, worked as a pastry chef then ultimately as a sous chef, and then chose to leave restaurants and go face to face to with people and their individual eating in LA.

I cook in your home so that it’s as honest as possible to meet your individual needs – for your lifestyle and schedule.

I’m especially good at helping people align their eating with their food goals, and on incorporating more veggies into meals and snacks.

What makes it gourmet?

-No plastic or artificial ingredients used.
-High quality food handling, resourceful and knowledgeable hospitality.
-Culturally, politically, intelligently, and creatively well-informed food.
-It’s not a trend, it’s delicious, and it’s to your taste.
-It doesn’t just taste good, it is the highest quality available.
-Assurance of best possible industry practices.
-Highest level of professional accountability.

How much do you love your job?

Every day I get to shop in southern California for the best food in our nation! I get to express how I feel about fresh ingredients by cooking dishes I love and learned about extensively in New York City, Washington D.C., and Italy. I learned to cook from people I sincerely admire and I try to keep the highest standards of taste and presentation a part of what I do today. It’s a treat to get to do this for a select group of Angelenos who choose my help.