Luxury Ohio Living Holiday 2013: "Classically trained chef creates with convenience in mind"

Chef Caitlin MacEachen Steininger is delicately spooning bourbon whipped cream onto bite-size squares of eggnog French toast, placed in neat rows on a serving stand. But she’s also keeping a disciplinary eye on her sons, Mac, 7, and Miles, 4, who are playing with Matchbox cars on the hardwood floor.

O

“I’ll make your peanut butter and jelly in a second,” she says

to

Miles,

acknowledg-

ing

his

lunchtime

request.

This is the first time the boys have seen their mom at work, hustling about the kitchen custom built by The V Collective that serves as a set for her cooking videos.

But they’re not terribly impressed, she says.

“My children have no idea what I do for a living. They think I cook for other people and talk on the phone.”

But many people who are passionate about delicious, but not overworked, culinary creations are familiar with the classically trained chef and her Cincinnati-based brand, Cooking with Caitlin. The 26-year-old Anderson Township native hosts a weekly radio show and newspaper column, already has a Time Warner Cable TV series under her toque and in 2010 was named one of the top 10 “up-and-coming food stars” by Food Network Magazine, which compared her to Julia Child, in a manner of speaking, stating:“Caitlin may not be a household name just yet, but at 22, neither was Julia Child.”

That said, Steininger has already developed her own distinct recipe for a delicious life. In Caitlin’s kitchen, family is required, practicality is essential and roasted, smashed grapes sometimes substitute on those PB&Js when the jelly runs out.

Grilled Lamb chops

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HOLIDAY 2013

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