SUMMER 2015
Personal Chef | 1
INSIDE THIS ISSUE: From the President................................................................3 Membership Milestones........................................................4 Changing the Way You Do Business.....................................6 Your Digital Magazine............................................................8 Bookkeeping 101...................................................................9 USPCA Launches New Insurance Benefit............................11 Summer Recipes...................................................................12 Around the Table...................................................................27 Eat to Keep Cool This Summer.............................................28 The Wonders of Broccoli Slaw..............................................29 Your Services are Valuable...................................................30 Quick Cash Flow Generating Secrets...................................31 Stay Safe on the Internet.......................................................32 MarketLoyal: Google Goes Mobile........................................33 Cooking From Russia to the USA..........................................34 Make Money with Your Menus..............................................38 Designations: What They Are and What They Mean.............40 Philly Chapter’s Latin-Themed Dinner...................................42
PERSONAL CHEF
Volume 21, Number 3 Summer 2015
Personal Chef is the official publication of the Personal Chef Industry. This publication is made possible by the United States Personal Chef Association. The purpose of this publication is to bring Personal Chefs the most useful and timely information and ideas from experts, working professionals, and industry leaders. Personal Chef welcomes any articles, manuscripts, tips, hints, photographs, recipes and ideas from our readers. We appreciate all submissions. Please include name, address and phone number. Send your contributions to: United States Personal Chef Association PC Editor 7680 Universal Blvd, Ste 550 Orlando, FL 32819
2 | Personal Chef
Production Director:
Larry Lynch
Editor: USPCA Magazine Department Layout & Design: CJ Tucker Advertising: USPCA Magazine Department
Personal Chef is published by: United States Personal Chef Association 7680 Universal Blvd, Ste 550 Orlando, FL 32819 Copyright Š 2015 United States Personal Chef Association. Reproduction prohibited without permission. All rights reserved.
From the President’s Desk A few weeks ago I was taken to task for using the term “value proposition” in a business conversation. It’s too big-business-like I was told. For a moment I said okay, I guess members don’t need to understand business terminology. But over the ensuing weeks, I realized it wasn’t okay. That as an association, USPCA owes it to its members to become comfortable with business jargon just like they are with cooking and kitchen jargon. I like the term “value proposition” because it represents the very important elements of business: the value you bring to your clients and how you position yourself in the market to ensure the customer WANTS to pay your price. Personal chefs are in a tumultuous world of personal services and one that is undergoing its own form of disruption – personal dining. Restaurants struggle with people wanting to dine at home more and you’re dealing with people looking at more options for home dining even as they still learn about personal chefs (yes, we’re still determined to overcome that confusion with private chefs – see related article in this issue). With so much change chefs have just three choices: • • •
Fret over the introduction of new services and innovations that interest existing clients. Ignore the change going on around you and continue business as usual as long as you can. Stay informed about changes in dining and personal services developments, think critically about how they work for you, and adapt where necessary.
Keep in mind that disruption in any business doesn’t mean the end of the world. It doesn’t mean you’re doomed to a life as a line cook at a mediocre restaurant because people decided to order their groceries online and cook for themselves. Being relevant to your clients means that, as a local service provider, you need to be absolutely clear about the services you offer and why someone should pay you for them (the value proposition!). If you position yourself right there will always be people willing to trade their money for your time and expertise. Yes consumers are savvier than ever and have more information at their hands than ever before. But that information should include YOUR value proposition – what you bring to them, what makes you different and why they should pay! I truly struggle when I look at our Facebook group and see members asking other members what they charge for a particular service. There is so much that goes into any individual chef’s business that what someone else charges should have no bearing on what you charge. And someone else’s price shouldn’t be the basis for developing your value in your client’s eyes (more on cost management elsewhere in the magazine). Creating value for you and your business is actually pretty simple: What service can you provide them for which they would be happy to compensate you? What part of dining is the biggest pain for your clients and how can you resolve that? What can you do that they can’t, don’t know how, or don’t want to do? How much time can you save them and what is that time worth to them? That’s it…that’s your value proposition. It’s not Harvard MBA stuff. It’s business basics. Personal chefs are coming to life at a time when people’s dining habits ARE changing. Years ago when I first moved to Florida, I was the executive director of the Florida Veterinary Medical Association. Veterinarians were in the throes of change. On one hand the association board wanted us to find ways to keep PetSmart and other major retailers out of Florida. NOT… I reminded them that they didn’t spend all that time in veterinary school to sell flea powder and run spay/neuter clinics. PetSmart was best designed to provide those services (and they could always partner with them). Rather, the relationship between people and their pets was changing and they needed to be at the forefront of that change. Shortly before I left FVMA, I was at one of our board meetings and was proud when one board member chided the rest of the board and told them “our biggest problem as a board is that Larry is 10 years ahead of us and we’re not listening to him.” That wasn’t about me. It was about understanding change and being part of it, even creating it! Having just shepherded one of my four-legged children through a cancer surgery and recovery I can tell you, I didn’t care or think about PetSmart. I cared that my veterinarian had the care, training, and skills to see her through the cancer surgery and any follow up we had to do. How will you be at the forefront of the dining revolution with your value proposition for your clients? Go to page 6 to see how some of your fellow members are embracing and driving change in their own personal chef businesses.
Personal Chef | 3
Membership Milestones 20 Years
New Members
Linda Page, CPC, Orlando, FL
Anisha Anand Heartful Earth Cuisine Tomball, TX https://www.facebook.com/ HeARTfulEarthCuisine anisha_anand@hotmail.com
15 Years Betty Burleigh, Lewes, DE Karen Docimo, CPC, Philadelphia, PA Marie Poulin, Nokomis, FL Jeffrey Welsch, Ramsey, NJ
10 Years
Sylvie Ashby Sylvie’s- Traditional French Country Cooking West Chester, PA sylvieashby@gmail.com
Bob Brinson, CPC, Atlanta, GA Kathy Carlino, CPC, Blue Bell, PA Pamlyn Hunt, Rock Island, IL Jeffrey Scott, CPC, Bloomington, MN Deborah Spangler, CPC, Cincinnati, OH
Colin Barclay Cooking From Another Point of View LLC Boulder, CO http://www.colinbarclay.com/ olinbarclay@yahoo.com
5 Years
Natalie Blackburn Healthnut catering San Marcos, TX http://www.healthnutcatering.net natalieblackburn37@gmail.com
Jill Aker-Ray, Charlotte, NC Judy Buonocore, CPC, East Hampton, CT Barb Combs, Fort Collins, CO Fran Davis, Marlton, NJ Khadijah Davis, Houston, TX Philip DeYoung, Stockbridge, GA Nadine Dorantes, San Antonio, TX Callie McMillin Shell, Nashville, TN Suzanne Orrell, Albuquerque, NM Jackie Parisi, Grosse Pointe Woods, MI Patty Rhoads, North Highlands, CA Emily Schoonmaker, Lee, NH Paula Seamon, Tallahassee, FL Thomas Weisenberger, Easton, PA Janee Zimmerman, Lawrenceville, NJ
3 years Rose Allen, Glens Falls, NY Grace Brinton, Boston, MA Shira Butler, Santa Rosa, CA Tracey Callahan, Port St. Lucie, FL Molly Evans, St. Charles, IL Joe Pannullo, Gotha, FL Anna Scott, Atlanta, GA Stephanie Speir, Dallas, TX
Andrea Boje The Holistic Chef Redwood City, CA http://www.theholisticchef.com andrea@theholisticchef.com Jenni Brewster Jennababe’s Sacramento, CA http://www.jennababes.com jennababe@mac.com Khiah Cameron Gotta Have Khiah Plantation, FL http://www.gottahavekhiah.com khiahcameron@gmail.com Stacey Clinesmith Your Beeting Heart San Jose, CA http://www.yourbeetingheart.com stacey@yourbeetingheart.com Bernadette Clinkscale Culinary & Crew Sicklerville, NJ Culinaryandcrew@gmail.com Carrie Cross CarrieOut Chatham, IL http://www.CarrieOutChef.com CarrieOutChef@gmail.com Angelica Dantzler Your Dinner Awaits! Winston-Salem, NC Yourdinnerawaits@gmail.com
4 | Personal Chef
Rebecca Elman The Hidden Hostess Rebecca Elman LLC New York, NY http://www.thehiddenhostess.com hiddenhostess@gmail.com Kyle Field Compassionate Cuisine LLC Denver, CO comp.cuisine@gmail.com Jacqueline Fisher Norton Shores, MI jackie.barba.fisher@gmail.com Eric Foster ChefServ Personal Chef Service Orlando, FL http://www.chefserv.com eric@chefserv.com Sue Graves SoVA Local Taste Alton, VA sovalocaltaste@gmail.com Celeste Gustafson Celeste’s Natural Kitchen Austin, TX http://www.celestesnaturalkitchen.com celeste@celestesnaturalkitchen.com Marsha Hebert Fabyoulous Wellness Calgary, AB http://www.fabyoulouswellness.com fabyoulouswellness@gmail.com Jen Heringhausen Relish, A Personal Chef Business Holland, MI http://relishyourfood.com jen@relishyourfood.com Shelley Holdsworth Consider It Done North Potomac, MD sbholdsworth@comcast.net Debra Hunt Aikens & Hunt Personal Chefs, LLC Atlanta, GA dekyra@yahoo.com Mary Kenney Legal Pantry Albany, NY http://www.legalpantry.com thelegalpantry@gmail.com Brandy Kuebler Chef’s Palette Reno, NV http://www.chefspalette.com brandy@chefspalette.com
Gabrielle Leone Olive Branch Personal Chef Service Hampton, NH http://www.olivebranchfoods.com olivebranchfoods@hotmail.com
Rauson Smith Network Food Solutions Chandler, AZ http://rauson.com services@rauson.com
Danielle Liz Chef Danielle Liz Chatsworth, CA http://www.chefdanielleliz.com chefdanielleliz@gmail.com
Gina VanderKooi Higher Seasonings, LLC Flagstaff AZ ginafishfood@hotmail.com
Tim Meevasin Tim Meevasin, Personal Chef Reno, NV http://personalcheftim.com tmeevasin@gmail.com Vahe Mekhitarian Menu For You, Inc. Wilmette, IL http://www.menuforyouinc.com vahe@menuforyouinc.com Gary Miceli Miceli’s Personal Chef Service West Newbury, VT miceli@valley.net Neil Negri Poached Personal Chef Service Washington, DC http://www.poachedpersonalchef.com chefneiln@gmail.com Linda Oliver Grow Cook Joy Omaha, NE http://www.growcookjoy.com laoliver@cox.net Lisa Paul Monday Night Meal Company Toronto, ON http://www.mondaynightmeal.com lisa@mondaynightmeal.com Chris Rollin The Rollin’ Chef Apopka, FL http://Www.TheRollinChef.com crollin407@yahoo.com Deanna Satterwhite Chef Care Alameda, CA chefcare@hotmail.com Carol Scott Sweet Productions Personal Chef Services Knoxville, TN http://www.sweetproductionsbycarol.com carol@sweetproductionsbycarol.com
Taylor Watts Chef Taylor Destin, FL http://cheftaylorevents.com taylormw88@gmail.com Heath Young Chef Heath Austin, TX http://www.heathyoung.com heath.young@outlook.com
Returning Members
New Student Members Laura Dotson Healthful Change Arlington, VA http://www.healthfulchange.com/ healthfulchange@gmail.com Sentoria Hardiman Denver, CO sentoriah@gmail.com Dave Matthews Mad Chef Kitchen Pasadena, CA http://madchefkitchen.com dave@madchefkitchen.com Kiele Turrini The Bare Chef Jersey City, NJ http://www.kieleturrini.com kieleturrini@gmail.com
Joi Aikens Aikens & Hunt Personal Chefs, LLC Decatur, GA jaaike@aol.com Lisa Cutler Amaranth Personal Chef Service San Francisco, CA http://amaranth-sf.com lbc924@hotmail.com Margie Leist The Durango Chef Durango, CO http://www.thedurangochef.com thedurangochef@gmail.com Missy Olson Chef Missy’s Meal Service Wasilla, AK http://www.chefmissysmeals.com chefmissy@gci.net Gina Stary Chef Gina Stary Costa Mesa, CA http://www.chefginastary.com chefginastary@gmail.com Stacy Walker My Thyme Is Your Time Colorado Springs, CO stacywalker@centurylink.net Kymberly Wilbon The Passion Plate Cincinnati, OH kymwilbon@yahoo.com
Personal Chef | 5
Changing the Way You Do Business Say “disruptive technology” and more often than not, Uber (the ride sharing business) comes to mind. But disruption isn’t just about technology. It’s about innovators with new ways of doing old business that captures the attention of consumers. In a January 2015 article in the Economist, the author explains what disruptive innovation really means. Personal computers were never all that disruptive other than bringing personal computing from the workplace to the home (and now even our pockets). Admittedly, Uber has been the best example among the “early” faces of disruption. I recall reading an article about the system when it launched in San Francisco. I thought it interesting but, not being in the taxi business, I wasn’t paying that much attention to a start-up idea in the Bay area. Two years later as I sat in a non-air-conditioned cab riding from O’Hare to Chicago on a steamy July afternoon, I received a call from a friend who was a few miles behind in his comfortable Uber car. I discovered the service was expanding nationally (and even internationally) and fast. Some time later I watched on the sidelines as Uber entered the Orlando market. There are plenty of cabs in Orlando and one company that pretty much rules the transportation roost. The reaction was as expected. The one company petitioned the city and county to adopt laws to regulate Uber and worked to drive them out of Orlando. It didn’t work. Ironically, this company created their own app which, for the life of me, I don’t know why anyone would download unless you’re flying into Orlando weekly. But here is the rub. Uber launched years before they entered the Orlando market. They describe themselves many ways but, in short, they transport people from one point to another. Oh, and at peak times (as defined by Uber) they will cost more than a cab. If I had been the local company, I would have been studying Uber when they launched years before and decided how my company would play in a newly defined industry. Food is no different. The restaurant world has to contend with grocery chains that now offer ready-to-eat foods and even sit-down service. They also have to deal with people eating at home more often. Home delivery of groceries is growing with a host of services driven both by mobile apps and home businesses. Companies like Kitchensurfing want to showcase you and your recipes at a price they set. Others come and go but at every step of the way they create an illusion, correct or not, about the profession. That’s where you and USPCA comes in. While it is VERY illegal for the association to be in any way involved with pricing (if you’re reading online, here is a great primer on the risks associations face with pricing, competition and more). What you and USPCA can do is develop the value proposition for a personal chef cooking in the home. Grocery delivery services can deliver groceries but consumers still have to cook them; meal delivery services might be able to deliver meals presuming they don’t run afoul of Cottage food laws, but the consumer still has work to do. So what’s a chef to do? Don’t wait to be disrupted. Don’t wait to innovate. And many chefs are doing just that. Two such chefs, Chef John Kresl of Orlando, Florida, and Chef Shirley Scrafford, RD, of Washington DC are two shining examples among many USPCA members who have reinvented their business models and are creating value in their marketplace and product. Read on to learn more about both.
6 | Personal Chef
CHEF JOHN KRESL Personal Chef turned salsa manufacturer Chef John is relatively new to the USPCA membership but not to personal cheffing and certainly not to the kitchen. Chef John started like so many others – with a love of cooking and a desire to own his own restaurant. When most of the stars aligned for him in 2009 there was one major barrier – the economy. John knew to get started in the kitchen that the best way would be to turn his dream into his new role as a personal chef. While the business was relatively easy to set up, the start was pretty frantic as he spent more time trying to find new clients than he did servicing new clients. Over time Chef John managed to build a stable base of clients, some of whom he still works with today. He also recognized that, like any business, clients can come and go, and when they go it leaves a pretty big gap in your schedule. Recognizing that there had to be a better way to fill those gaps, Chef John found a local business providing access to a commercial kitchen. As a result, he’s expanded not just into full service catering, but he has added food manufacturing as well. A few years ago Chef John started his new product, Tres Amigos Salsa, with a plan to sell it only at a local farmer’s market and health food stores. Sales took off and the reputation of Tres Amigos grew to a point where The Fresh Market chain contacted John to ask if they could sell Tres Amigos Salsa in their stores. You can find it there today! For Chef John it meant scaling his business accordingly, learning more about FDA regulations and finding time to keep those original longtime home clients happy. But it works and John has no intention on giving up on either as his salsa production continues to grow. What Chef John has learned is that there is no one single formula that can be used to develop and run a personal chef business. Recognizing opportunity, just like starting your business, takes a comfort level with risk and thinking outside the box. John always saw the personal chef field as a great way to build a career in food service and the growth and change to meet market demands proves that there are no limitations on where it can take you. CHEF SHIRLEY SCRAFFORD, RD Personal chef/Registered Dietician turned corporate chef business owner. Chef Shirley’s path to a career as a personal chef stretches back to elementary school when she would check cook books out of the library when everyone else was reading storybooks. By the time she reached college she knew that she wanted to be a dietician and she did eventually become a Registered Dietician while spending years as a military spouse changing jobs every one to three years as they changed duty stations. As they contemplated retirement from the military, Shirley realized she could combine her career as a dietician with her passion for cooking as a
personal chef. She started like so many personal chefs. Out of pocket expenses only; her own pots and pans and cooking for friends and family to start. She was an early adopter of technology utilizing search engine optimization (SEO) techniques with her website which drove new business to her through the internet. That was supported by her own promotional efforts including in-gym promotions; cooking classes for WilliamsSonoma and more. What started as a part-time effort grew quickly. By year two, she grew her business by 240% with year on year increases after that of twenty to forty-three percent. That’s when Shirley changed her business model and created a team approach to her personal chef business adding her first chef-employee. While her business started with just families, over time she has moved to a large number of elderly clients who want to stay in their homes but can no longer cook for themselves (USPCA has a relationship with the Society of Certified Senior Advisors for chefs who want to specialize in senior services) as well as referrals from other dieticians. That has meant less party work as her days fill with multi-meal services. Those changes as well as a focus on work-life balance has encouraged Chef Shirley to increase her chef-employee team to take on more party work as well. While her marketing still includes some cooking classes (even for a school as a partner in a federally funded program), she now also includes kitchen and pantry makeovers. All that means she has gone from being a sole proprietor to a Limited Liability Corporation (LLC) and going from just herself, to contract labor and now full-time employees. She even has her own attorney and accountant! Looking forward she plans to continue to hire chefs especially as she moves to Toronto for a couple of years but maintains the company and business in Northern Virginia. Her shift in business and thinking goes from working in the kitchen to managing a personal chef business. What does Chef Shirley see the profession going? She clearly sees a bright future as an aging population looks for a healthy and independent lifestyle that supports the elderly living at home. As public awareness of the profession grows and personal chefs better define their own value proposition, Chef Shirley feels that chefs will find their own niche in a growing spectrum of opportunities and consumer acceptance of personal chefs will be as common as other in-home services. She sees an increase in cooking classes that are tied to health and wellness programs, perhaps even looking to wellness incentive programs promoted by insurance companies, for example adding a healthy meal program as an option to earn wellness points towards reduced medical insurance premiums much like corporations including gym membership. The key for Shirley will be to continue to develop her new corporate model to ensure that the one thing that frustrated her – the loss of family time – is balanced properly with a successful business and a happy family. The bottom line is that industries change as consumers demand new a different products and services. The traditional personal chef is now meeting and exceeding the demands of consumers who are looking to new ways to dine at home. How will you participate in the change?
Personal Chef | 7
Your Digital Magazine Don’t worry, USPCA members, your print magazine hasn’t disappeared. But for one issue only, we are trying to get members used to using the digital version of the magazine. We’ve done this for just the summer issue for a number of reasons. First, because it comes during conference, it’s the one that seems to get most lost in the mail. Next we’d like to be a bit more sustainable as an organization so if one of our four issues is digital, our carbon footprint improves. Most important, though, is that we want to bring the magazine to life. The digital version of Personal Chef allows us to link URLs from related articles, video and more. USPCA first launched the magazine in digital format last year and, before the print version hits the Postal Service, an alert with the link is sent to all members. The link remains active in the “Members Only” section of the USPCA website as well. We were disappointed to see how few members actually open the digital version and we have no way of knowing how many people actually read the print version (though we suspect this one change may help us learn!!!). So we’re hoping ALL members will take time to read the Digital version and take advantage to dig deeper into the articles to learn more. Over the coming issues, as we go back to print again, we will continue to drive more valuable content online. Once we find the perfect platform (we currently use Issuu which has its own mobile apps as well) we’ll move more and more in that direction. So enjoy your one-time, digital-only copy of Personal Chef magazine. We’ll be back to print in the Fall but the digital version will continue to grow as well.
8 | Personal Chef
Bookkeeping 101: Shoeboxes, Spreadsheets and QuickBooks Finding a happy medium
Many a great entrepreneur has found themselves racing the clock to get their tax return filed just before the hour strikes midnight on the last day of the last extension. And nearly every one of those entrepreneurs thinks to themselves, “I’ve got to eliminate this craziness this next year.” Unfortunately, more often than not the following year is a déjà vu experience. On the other end of the spectrum, there are a lot of entrepreneurs that are so concerned and captivated with bookkeeping that it distracts them from critical activities associated with marketing and business development. Missing out on a well-planned networking event to do bookkeeping is a pretty good indicator that a reprioritization is necessary.
Big Picture
There are two purposes for bookkeeping: to improve your ability to make timely and effective business decisions and to be able to meet compliance requirements (e.g., tax returns). The quality and timeliness of the information necessary to make good business decisions is much higher than the quality and timeliness of the information necessary to meet compliance regulations. Since the title of this article is Bookkeeping 101, the focus will be on the easier of the two – compliance. In the case of compliance, there are five pieces of information necessary to be tracked for every transaction: Date, Payee, Amount, Why and if applicable who you were with (customer and/or prospect name). The “Why” is the reason that you had to spend the money (e.g., Food Cost, Marketing, Sales Lunch, Phone, Internet, Labor). This brief article will lay out a “keep it super simple” approach to gathering, adding and summarizing the information necessary to know what’s going on in your business.
Gathering the Information
For the most part, all expenses are paid by either handwritten check, electronic payment/ACH, credit/debit card or cash. Each of these payment methods has their own easiest way of tracking. Payment Method
Date, Payee, and Amount
Customer/Prospect and Why
Handwritten Checks
Use a checkbook with duplicate checks (or verify that your bank statement includes a copy of your handwritten checks).
Write on duplicate
Electronic Payments/ACH
Information captured on your bank statement
Put coding in account information
Credit/Debit Card
Information captured on your bank/credit card statement
Keep Receipt or write on Statement – See Adding Information below
Cash
Keep receipts in a shoebox
Write on Receipt
Adding Information
Credit and Debit Cards are increasingly the payment method of choice. Some of these transactions are simple (e.g., Fuel, Internet, Cell Phone) based on the name of the merchant and the nature of the expense. In those cases, the why is related to merchant and there isn’t a specific customer/prospect to attach to the expense. Accordingly, no additional information is needed beyond what is on the bank/credit card statement. Other types of transactions, like eating out or travel could be related to a specific customer and can be either noted as such on a receipt, marked on the statement or cross referenced with your calendar. The most difficult situation is if a large purchase (e.g. Sam’s Club) contains multiple “Whys”. Such a transaction could have Food Costs, Office Expenses, etc. In those cases, it is best to keep the receipt and summarize. Some people have found it worthwhile to simply break up the purchase into several purchases so that they can mark it on the statement. In the best case scenario, you would have a period of time set aside once a week or once a month to go through your statements and put the “Why”. Worst case scenario, at the end of the year you’ll try to remember the why for all of the various transactions.
Summarizing the Information
Once the information has been gathered and additional information has been added, the final step is to summarize the information. This can be done on the back of a napkin, using a calculator with tape, a spreadsheet or software like QuickBooks®. At the end of the day, to goal is to have a total for each “Why”. How much was spent on telephone, Food Costs, internet, fuel, office supplies, etc… The business owner can decide whether to pay a smart high school student a few bucks to total everything up or do it themselves.
Oh… and the Income
The income is fun to track and so it’s never hard for entrepreneurs to keep track of that. You can simply get the number from the deposits section of your bank/PayPal statement (be sure to exclude any money that you’re having to contribute to the company – only money from customers gets recorded as income). Author Scott Michael is a CPA based in Orlando, Florida.
Personal Chef | 9
10 | Personal Chef
USPCA Launches New Business Insurance Benefit For years the USPCA has offered group liability insurance as a benefit of membership. And that insurance still works perfectly for the majority of our members. Over time, however, the personal chef business model continues to transition and now some of our membership work from commercial kitchens, others employ/contract with other chefs that cook in the client’s home and others have completely unique structures. USPCA continues to listen to our members and create new benefits and find great partnerships to make available to you and this new insurance program is just one of those. Our new additional general liability insurance offering is the bridge between what is offered as an included benefit and the Business Owners Policy (BOP) that is the next, and only, other insurance available. Until now! This new *additional insurance* option is the step in between the two with a price to match! Here is a quick cheat sheet comparison:
USPCA Additional
USPCA Included Benefit
Cost: Included General Liability: Yes Add’tl Insured Capability: No
Cost: $300 + state fees General Liability: Yes Add’tl Insured Capability: Yes Property: Yes - limited
Property: No
Auto: No
Auto: No
Outside Business Owner’s Policy
Cost: $500 - $700 General Liability: Yes Add’tl Insured Capability: Yes Property: Yes Auto: Yes
In tactical terms… with the additional insurance you can: • • • • •
Have multiple chefs working for you by cooking in the client’s home Add and delete additional insureds at will, e.g., Farmers Markets and neighborhood clubhouses Work larger events and dinner parties (generous size limit…basically not into the 1000s) Have employees working in separate locations simultaneously Your business with confidence without working from a commercial kitchen
Personal Chef | 11
Blue Cheese Bacon Burgers Gini Bortz, a la Carte PCS, Campbell, CA Servings: 4 1 pound ground beef, lean 10% 1/4 cup Blue cheese crumbled 4 bacon slices cooked and crumbled 1/2 cup scallion, minced 1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce 1 teaspoon black pepper, coarse ground 1 1/2 teaspoons salt 1 teaspoon mustard, dry 4 hamburger buns 4 lettuce leaves 4 tomato slices 4 tablespoons mayonnaise 1 avocado In a large bowl, mix the ground beef, blue cheese, bacon, scallions, hot pepper sauce, Worcestershire sauce, black pepper, salt, and mustard. Client Instructions:
Summer’s here! Enjoy these great recipes for the season and all year long from your fellow USPCA Personal Chefs.
Preheat grill or oven broiler for high heat. Cook patties to your desired done-ness. Serve on rolls with lettuce, tomato, avocado and mayo. Source: Food.com
Asian Coleslaw
Chicken Vesuvio
Anisha Anand, Heartful Earth Cuisine, Tomball, TX
Chicken Vesuvio is a classic Italian-American Chicago dish. The exact origins of the dish are unknown, but it dates back to the 1930s. My wife and I first fell in love with this dish fifteen years ago when we had it at Rosebud’s in Chicago. What amazes me about this dish is that it’s a complete meal in a pan. You have chicken, salt, pepper, garlic, parsley, unsalted butter, potatoes, peas. white wine, and chicken stock. There are a couple different variations of the Vesuvio recipe... there are recipes for chicken, pork, and even fish. As a chef, when I look at recipes, there are three things that I look for. First, are the ingredients easily available to purchase? Second, does the recipe require any special kitchen tools that are hard to find? Third, can the recipe be easily executed? In my opinion, Chicken Vesuvio meets all three of these requirements. For this recipe, all you need is a roasting pan and a spatula. You can use a sauté pan if you want to make the sauce separately, but I prefer to do the entire dish in the roasting pan, so you can scrape up all the bits of chicken and the natural juice from the chicken.
For dressing 3 loaded tablespoons Peanut butter 3-4 tablespoons filtered water (just enough to be able to whisk the dressing) 3 caps Bragg’s apple cider vinegar 1 teaspoon minced ginger 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic 1/2 teaspoon chili garlic sauce or paste or Sriracha (use any hot sauce you have on hand, adjust hot sauce to taste or omit if needed) 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice (optional) 1/4 teaspoon non GMO miso paste (optional) 1/4 teaspoon honey or maple syrup (optional) Salt and pepper to taste ( I didn’t need to add any salt! No need for salt if using miso paste) For slaw 3 cups finely chopped cabbage (red or white or mix) 1 carrot grated 1/2 teaspoon sesame seeds Handful of chopped fresh cilantro (adjust for your taste) Method: Whisk dressing ingredients together. Once mixed well and smooth toss in slaw ingredients. Mix and toss well. Serve and enjoy. And as always adjust any of the ingredients to suit your taste!
12 | Personal Chef
Antonio Torres, Elevate Food Inc., Tomball, TX Serves 4 Ingredients: 1 large fryer (3 1/2-4 pounds) cut into 8 pieces 3 medium Idaho potatoes (about 1 1/4 pounds) 1/3 cup light-tasting olive oil salt and freshly ground pepper. to taste 4 large cloves garlic, minced 2 teaspoons dried oregano 3 tablespoons fresh parsley, minced
1/3 cub dry white wine (use your favorite but don’t break the bank) flat leaf parsley (for garnish) 1 Meyer lemon (for garnish) Directions: Heat oven to 425 degrees. Keep the skin on the chicken. Wash the chicken and pat dry with paper towels. Peel the potatoes and cut crosswise. Cut each half into four quarters. Pat dry. Add olive oil to a large shallow roasting pan and put over medium/high heat. When the oil is hot, arrange chicken and potatoes, rounded side down, in a single layer in the pan. Cook five minutes, carefully shaking the pan often to prevent sticking. Do not turn. Place the pan now in the oven and bake 20 minutes. Use a spatula to turn the chicken and potatoes and bake until both are well browned and crispy. Place a thermometer in the thickest part of the chicken thigh. Bake until the thermometer reads 165 degrees. Working quickly, season the chicken and potatoes with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with fresh garlic, fresh parsley, and toss gently to mix. Add white wine, peas, butter, and shake the pan to mix. Transfer chicken and potatoes to a serving platter. Pour all the juices over. Garnish dish with parsley and lemon wedges. Serve immediately.
Summer Brunch Sandwich Delights with Sunshine Citrus Gazpacho I select my bread from a small local bakery. The Chef-owner uses only the finest ingredients and guarantees no GMO or Azobicarbonomide. I cook with quality Organic. I harvest local coconuts at season and reserve fresh coconut water portioned in my freezer.
1 bunch Arugula, washed and dried (4-5 leaves ripped in half twice per sandwich) 3 large yellow-orange Organic Tomatoes horizontally sliced 1/4” thick and then again into halves. (1½ pieces per sandwich) Florida Citrus Gazpacho: Make gazpacho first and set in fridge to chill.) Chill large Martini glasses to serve. Keep all juice to add to soup while cutting: 2 Red grapefruits sectioned and small cubed 3 large navel oranges sectioned and small cubed 2 large orange tomatoes into small cube 1 large firm red beefsteak into small cube 3 Tbsp minced fresh cilantro (to-taste) and 6 leaf clusters for garnish 1 English cucumber peeled and cut seeded and small dice 1 small seeded and minced jalapeño (to-taste) 1/4 cup minced fresh red bell pepper 1 Tbsp minced red onion (to-taste) 1 pinch garlic powder 2 Tbsp key lime or fresh lime juice Squeeze of a quarter lemon (to-taste) 1/2 cup fresh-cut coconut water and soft pulp 1 pinch fine sea salt optional... and pinch fine pepper both to-taste Blend all ingredients and chill covered for about an hour~ add touches of the ingredients to make your flavors perfect. Finish the Sandwiches served Open face: Smear 2 tablespoons of cheese edge to edge on half of the slightly toasted bread. Line up in the toaster oven. Toast for 3 minutes to soften cheese. On other toasted pieces place three tomato halves artistically flat and top with arugula. Place onto dish open-face for customer to fold in half, place Citrus Gazpacho glass on the side on a petite doily.
Patricia Prudente, Garden to Table & “The Smaller Party” PCA, Hypoluxo, Florida Serves 6 2 Piece Open-faced Sandwich: 1-loaf fresh-baked Sourdough Rye, hand-sliced, slightly thicker. Toast ‘slightly’ to firm up. Save remaining slices in the freezer 1 6-10oz package of the finest Goat Milk or Sheep Milk creamy cheese (French Feta is light enough also)
Personal Chef | 13
Lobster Salad Growing up on the East coast, I have great memories of warm balmy summers and the seafood available at that time of year. I have memories of playing on the beach, squishing my toes in the sand, collecting sand glass and watching clams burrow and blow bubble through their air holes on the beach. This time of year is the perfect time to indulge in a sumptuous Summer Lobster Salad. I created this dish making use of seasonal, fresh ingredients and lobster, the quintessential summer indulgence. Susan Ytterberg, Golden Plum Personal Chef Services, LLC, Alameda, California Serves 4 Ingredients: 2 lobster tails- frozen & thawed or fresh (Steam or simmer for 12-14 minutes until cooked and cool) 1 head chopped romaine lettuce 2 avocados- 8 slices per avocado 2 tomatoes- 8 slices per tomato yellow onion- thinly sliced quantity to taste 2 ears sweet white corn- hulled & kernels removed salt & pepper to taste Dressings : Create a light vinaigrette to toss the salad: ¼ cup EVOO, ½ tsp kosher salt and ¼ cup lemon juice or more to preference. Blue Cheese dressing for top of salad- 2 Tbsp per serving: 1/3 cup sour cream, ½ cup blue cheese, 1 Tbsp milk, 1 Tbsp Mayo, ½ tsp kosher salt, ½ tsp black pepper. Blend and serve. You want it to be fairly thick. Directions: 1. Cut lobster into large chunks 2. If corn is sweet and in season, do not cook. Remove kernels from the cob 3. Slice the avocados, onion and tomatoes 4. Put lettuce in a bowl with sweet corn, onion and tomatoes and lobster. Toss with vinaigrette- don’t ever do it on the dressing, a light coating only. 5. Arrange even portions on 4 plates of the salad. Ensure lobster pieces are on top. Arrange avocado slices around plate. Put 1 dollop (about 2 Tbsp) blue cheese dressing on top and serve.
Tequila-Lime Marinated Chicken Breast R.L. Cubit II, Central Texas Culinary Solutions, Martindale, TX 4 servings 1/2 cup blanco tequila 1/4 cup oil of choice 1/4 cup tamari 2 tsp cumin 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped 6 ea garlic cloves, smashed 2 tsp smoked black pepper 1 tbsp honey 5 ea limes, washed
14 | Personal Chef
1 ea jalapeno, washed 4 ea chicken breast Combine the tequila, oil, tamari, cumin, cilantro, garlic, pepper, and honey in a gallon zip lock bag. Cut the limes in half, give them a good squeeze into the bag, then place the rest of the lime in the bag as well. Now take your jalapeno and make lengthwise cuts into it about an inch long, but keep the jalapeno intact and the seeds inside the pepper. Now put the pepper in the bag as well as the four chicken breasts. Seal the bag, give it a good shake, and leave it in the fridge to marinate for at least two hours. Prepare your grill to a medium heat. Remove the chicken from the bag and discard the marinade. Cook the chicken about 8 minutes per side until cooked throughout.
Chilled Melon Soup Gini Bortz, a la Carte PCS, Campbell, CA Servings: 4 3 cups honeydew melons, cubed 3 cups cantaloupe, cubed 1/4 cup vodka, divided 1/4 cup brown sugar, firmly packed, divided 3 tablespoons lime juice, fresh, divided 3/4 cup strawberries, fresh, sliced Directions: Place honeydew in a food processor, and process until smooth; pour into a bowl. Place cantaloupe in food processor and process until smooth; pour into a second bowl. Add 2 tablespoons vodka, 2 tablespoons sugar, and 1 tablespoon lime juice to each bowl; stir well. Cover and chill. Place strawberries in food processor; process until smooth. Pour into a bowl. Add 1 tablespoon lime juice; cover and chill. To serve, pour 1/2 cup of cantaloupe mixture into each individual bowl; pour 1/2 cup honeydew mixture in center of cantaloupe mixture in each bowl. Dollop each serving with 2 tablespoons strawberry mixture and swirl decoratively with a wooden pick.
Grilled Summer Salad with Corn, Peppers and Chili-Lime Dressing Deb Cantrell, Savor Culinary Services, Fort Worth, Texas Salad 4 to 6 cups baby arugula 1 large beefsteak tomato, diced 1 small red onion, halved and sliced into -inch wide wedges 1 large ear of corn, shucked 1 can (14 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained, or 1 cups cooked black beans 1 cup cilantro, mostly leaves, chopped 1 avocado, diced 1 cup crumbled feta 1 handful all natural bacon crumbled 1 teaspoon olive oil Chili-Lime Dressing ¼ cup olive oil
Scant ¼ cup fresh lime juice 1 small jalapeno, seeded, membranes removed and chopped 1 teaspoon honey or agave nectar ½ to ¾ teaspoon ancho chili powder or regular chili powder (to taste) ¼ teaspoon sea salt Instructions: 1. First, preheat your grill (if you’re using an electric grill, heat to 400 degrees Fahrenheit). Toss the prepared corn and onion with enough olive oil to lightly coat all surfaces (I used about 1 teaspoon). Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill the vegetables, turning occasionally, until they have grill marks and the onions have softened a bit. You might find that the corn takes longer than the onions. Transfer the cooked vegetables to a cutting board to cool. 2. While the vegetables are on the grill, whisk together all of the dressing ingredients until emulsified. Taste and adjust seasoning (more spice, honey or salt) if desired. 3. Roughly chop the onions. Slice the kernels from the cob. In a large serving bowl, combine the greens, tomato, onion, corn, drained beans, cilantro, avocado, feta and bacon. Drizzle on enough dressing to lightly coat the greens when tossed (you’ll probably end up with extra). Toss, add salt and pepper to taste, and serve.
Strawberry Salad Tanya Barbarics, I Love This Food! Personal Chef Service, Williamstown, NJ Serves 8 7 cup torn romaine 2+ cups sliced fresh strawberries 3 celery ribs, chopped 2 Persian cucumbers, chopped 6-8 green onions, sliced thinly 1/4 cup canola oil 2 tablespoons sugar 2 tablespoons cider vinegar 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper 1/8 teaspoon hot pepper sauce 1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted In a large bowl, combine the romaine, strawberries, celery, cucumbers and onions. In a small bowl, whisk the oil, sugar, vinegar, salt, pepper and pepper sauce. Pour over salad and toss to coat. Sprinkle with almonds.
Creamy Roasted Asparagus Soup Asparagus is an excellent source of Folate, Vitamin K and Copper. It also provides many other essential micro nutrients we need. Anisha Anand, Heartful Earth Cuisine, Tomball, TX 1 bunch Asparagus Spears 1-2 cloves of garlic 1/4 white or red onion, rough chopped 1 table spoon high temperature oil (avocado oil)- reduce oil if needed 1/2 cup soaked cashews (4 hours or overnight) 3 cups water or vegetable broth (or bone broth if not making it Vegan) 1/5 teaspoon salt or taste (less salt if ready-made broth is already salted) Fresh ground black pepper to taste and a little more! Method: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Remove the hard stems from the Asparagus spears. Rough chop onion and asparagus. Roast onions and garlic for 25-30 minutes tossing every 10-15 minutes. Roast Asparagus for 15-20 minutes tossing every 7-10 minutes. Blend Onions, garlic, asparagus, cashews, salt, pepper, broth or water, cashews until smooth. Add more or less liquid to achieve the consistency you prefer! Serve warm or chilled.
Watermelon Cake Linda Page, A Chef of Your Own, Orlando, Florida Large seedless watermelon 2 cans full fat coconut milk Fresh fruit Cut large watermelon into large round shape. Dry outside. Open coconut milk and pour off liquid, saving the “fat solids” that are at the top of the can. Whip the solids and spread over watermelon like icing. Top with sliced fresh fruit. Chill
Personal Chef | 15
Stout Pudding Chef Brando Spies, Thirty Two Fourteen Personal Chef Service, Parker, CO Serves 6 4 Tbsp Cornstarch 2 pinch Sea Salt 1/3 cup Sugar, Organic 1/3 cup Brown Sugar, Light 1 cup Milk, Whole 1 cup Cream, Heavy 1 cup Stout Beer 4 ounces Chocolate, chopped fine 1 tsp Vanilla extract Combine 1st 4 ingredients in a large glass or metal bowl. Put on a double boiler and gradually add milk, cream, and Stout. Stir occasionally till milk and cream are warm. Gradually add the chocolate until it melts. Continue heating for approximately 12 to 15 minutes until it becomes thick. Pour into glasses or a big bowl and chill at least 4 hours. You can garnish with raspberries and whipped cream if you like. This recipe is from the Home Brew Chef Sean Paxton.
Borscht Carrie Hines, My Personal Chef Carrie, Sherwood, Oregon 3 large beets - peeled 10 cups cold water 3 large red potatoes - peeled, cut in chunks (1/2”) 1 large carrot - peeled, sliced in disks 1/2 head cabbage (2 cups shredded) 2 teaspoons salt 3 cloves garlic bunch fresh dill - chopped sour cream Place peeled beets in a stock pot and cover with water. Bring to boil, turn down and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove beets to cool. Put the rest of the prepared vegetables and 2 teaspoons of salt into the beet water in the pot, then simmer for 10 minutes. When cool enough to handle, grate two of the beets. (Use the third for beet salad or something else). Sauté the grated beets and 3 cloves of
16 | Personal Chef
pressed garlic in olive oil for 3 minutes. Add beets and garlic back into pot with other ingredients and simmer an additional 3 minutes. Stir in dill. Adjust seasoning. Serve with a dollop of sour cream
Jamaican Jerk Chicken Wings & Caribbean Orange Spiced Carrots Antonio Torres, Elevate Food Inc., Tomball, TX Makes 12 servings 12 chicken wings (about 2 pounds) ¼- ½ cup Jamaican Jerk Seasoning ¼ cup cider vinegar ¼ cup orange juice 2 tablespoons lime juice 2 tablespoons olive juice 2 tablespoons soy sauce Salsa Directions: Cut off and discard tips of chicken wings. Spread the remaining wing portions open. With a sharp knife, carefully cut each wing at its joint into two sections. You will get two finger-licking pieces per wing, making 24 pieces total. Place chicken wing pieces into a resealable plastic bag set in a shallow dish. For marinade in a small bowl, stir together, Jamaican jerk seasoning, vinegar, orange-juice, lime juice, olive oil and soy sauce. Pour marinade over chicken wings, seal bag. Marinate in refrigerator for 4 to 24 hours, turning bag occasionally. Drain and discard marinade. For a charcoal grill, grill chicken wing pieces on the rack of an uncovered grill directly over medium coals about 20 minutes or until chicken is tender and no longer pink, turning once halfway through grilling. For a gas grill, preheat grill. Reduce heat to medium. Place chicken wing pieces on grill rack over heat. Cover. Grill as stated previously. Serve chicken wings with salsa. Caribbean Orange Spiced Carrots Serves 6 Ingredients: ¾ cup fresh orange juice or mango juice (or combine them) 1 Tbsp brown sugar ¼ tsp powdered sugar ¼ tsp fresh black pepper 3 cups shredded carrots (approximately 3 large carrots, shredded in a food processor) Chopped fresh parsley and fresh coriander for garnish (1/4 cup total)
Directions: In a straight-sided nonreactive sauce pan (I used a 3-quart pan), combine the juice, sugar, ginger and pepper. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook for 2 minutes, swirling the pan once or twice to dissolve the sugar. Stir carrots, reduce heat to medium, and cook 3-4 minutes until the carrots are cooked but not limp. Remove carrots from the pan, and sprinkle with parsley and coriander. Serve hot at room temperature or cold. I usually serve them room temperature.
Gluten Free Banana Bread with Coconut and Pecans What to do with those bananas that are turning brown. I throw them in the freezer with the skin on and let them turn black when I have a few in the freezer I pull them out and make banana Bread. For this recipe I added coconut flakes, and crushed pecans. Chef Brando Spies, Thirty Two Fourteen Personal Chef Service, Parker, Colorado 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted 6 large, ripe bananas 2 large egg, lightly beaten room temperature 1 1/2 cups sugar 3 1/2 cups all-purpose Gluten Free all-purpose flour 1/2 cup almond flour 2 Tablespoon Guar Gum 2 teaspoon baking soda 2 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 1 Tablespoon + 1 teaspoon Guar Gum 1 teaspoon Cinnamon 1 teaspoon Ground Clove 1 teaspoon Allspice 1 teaspoon Ground Nutmeg 1 Tablespoon Vanilla extract 1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees F, and spray muffin pans with cooking spray. 2. Peel the bananas and in a large mixing bowl, mash them well with a fork. Stir in the sugar and then the egg, vanilla extract mixing thoroughly. Stir in the butter. Be sure the bananas are thawed and not chunky before you add the melted butter as it will seize up the butter and not mix well. You can peel and store the bananas in the fridge covered for a couple of hours before baking letting them thaw. Or pull them out the night before and keep them in the fridge to thaw in the skins overnight. 3. Sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, guar gum, and salt & all spices. Fold the dry ingredients gently into the wet, mixing just until you no longer see any streaks of raw flour. (Please be aware not to over-mix, or the banana bread will be tough!) 4. Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the loaf comes out clean and the bread is just starting to come away from the sides of the pan. 5. Cool in the pan’s on a rack for 5 minutes, and then turn out onto the rack to cool completely before serving. The bread has a lovely, crisp crust when it’s fresh; if you wrap the leftovers tightly in foil and eat them the next day, you’ll lose that crisp crust, but the texture and flavor will still be great -- if not even better. Chef’s note: I added 3/4 cup of coconut flakes and 1 cup toasted pecans. To toast the pecans put pecans in a dry pan and toast for 3 to 5 minutes on medium high heat. Be sure to keep them moving as
to not burn the pecans. Let cool before adding. I would suggest you add the coconut and pecans to the creamed butter and sugar mixture before you add the dry ingredients.
Orange & Fennel Salad Christina Vincent, As You Like It – a Personal Chef Service, Panama City, FL Insalata di arance e finocchio Serves 4 Salad: 1 bulb fennel root, shaved 1” slices 1 medium red onion, thinly sliced 3 oranges (preferably blood oranges) peeled and sectioned 4 cups mixed baby greens ¼ cup honey roasted almonds Citrus Vinaigrette: ¼ cup fresh orange juice 2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice 2 tsp. grated orange zest 2 tbs. extra-virgin olive oil 2 tbs. canola oil 2 tsp. Dijon mustard Shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano (curls) ½ tsp. dried tarragon 1 shallot, chopped Salt & pepper to taste Directions: Soak red onion slices in ice water for 1 hour. Drain In a small bowl whisk together the juices, zest, oils, mustard, tarragon & shallot. Season to taste with salt & pepper. Place mixed greens on each of 4 salad plates. Top with red onion, orange sections, and shaved fennel. Sprinkle with almonds. Drizzle each plate with four tablespoons of vinaigrette. Finish with parmesan cheese curls & fennel fronds. Buon Appetito!
Summer Watermelon Salad Jennifer Brewster, Jennababe’s, Sacramento, CA This is a refreshing and light salad that is super simple to make using only 4 ingredients! Serves 4 4 cups fresh seedless watermelon (cut into 1 inch cubes) 1 pint fresh blueberries 2 cups baby arugula (lightly dressed with extra virgin olive oil) 1/2 cup feta cheese crumbles Arrange the watermelon cubes in a large bowl or on a platter, Sprinkle the fresh blueberries over the watermelon. Pile the dressed arugula, neatly on top of the watermelon and blueberries and sprinkle with the crumbled feta cheese. Serve very cold.
Personal Chef | 17
Warrior Salad Laura Dotson, Healthful Change, LLC, Arlington, VA This Warrior Salad of Shaved Asparagus, Brussels Sprout & Zucchini Salad topped with Watermelon & Crispy Prosciutto wrapped Asparagus & White Wine Vinaigrette is packed with anti-inflammatory nutrients and has a wide variety of antioxidants. Meaning it can ward off disease, fight inflammation, and other harmful compounds such as carcinogens! It’s also rich in fiber, which supports your digestive health. Servings: 4 Salad 16 Asparagus spears, shaved 1 medium Zucchini, shaved 2 cups of Brussels sprouts, shaved 1 cup Watermelon, diced Fresh Mint Leaves Dressing ¼ cup White Wine Juice of 2 Lemons 1 tbsp. Honey 1 tsp. Cayenne Pepper 2 tbsp. Olive Oil Topping 8 Asparagus Spears 4 Thin Slices Prosciutto, cut in half lengthwise Pinch Sea Salt Instructions: Using a vegetable peeler shave the asparagus one spear at a time. Note the tips will snap off as spears get thinner; add to bowl. To make zucchini ribbons, use a vegetable peeler, shave long strips from the stem to the blossom end. Continue making ribbons until half of the zucchini is shaved, then turn over and continue shaving ribbons from the opposite side. Slice off the Brussels sprouts hard root end. Using a chef knife shave the sprouts one at a time. Note when you are finished it should resemble a fine slaw. In a mixing bowl combine shaved asparagus, zucchini, and Brussels sprouts add diced watermelon and chopped mint leaves. Gently toss salad with dressing and enjoy. In a medium bowl, whisk together the wine, lemon juice, honey, and cayenne pepper. Slowly add the oil in a steady stream. Drizzle over greens! Preheat the oven 400 degrees F. Lightly coat asparagus and season with sea salt. Wrap each spear with 1 slice of prosciutto, exposing tips. Roast until asparagus is tender, about 12 minutes. Top on salad!
Thai Chicken Burritos Liz Geeslin, In Good Taste, Westfield, IN 1/2 cup water 1/4 cup natural creamy peanut butter 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes 2 Tablespoons brown sugar 2 Tablespoons low sodium tamari soy sauce 2 Tablespoons rice wine vinegar 1/2 Teaspoon Ground ginger
18 | Personal Chef
1 1/2 Teaspoons sesame oil 2 cloves garlic -- minced 1 cup shredded carrot or bagged matchstick carrots 1 1/2 pounds chicken tenderloins or stir fry chicken - diced 1/4 cup peanuts -- chopped 4 scallions -- chopped 2 cups cooked jasmine rice 8 burrito shells Light olive oil - for the pan Combine first 9 ingredients in a small saucepan; stir with a whisk until blended. Bring to a boil; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Set aside. Heat oil in a large skillet and sauté chicken until it is no longer pink. Add vegetables and cook until slightly tender - 2-3 minutes. Warm burrito shells in the microwave for 30 seconds (makes it easier to assemble). Spread a few tablespoons of sauce on the middle of the shell. Top with 1/4 cup of rice, then the chicken mixture. Top with chopped peanuts. Fold into a burrito. Place on a lightly greased baking sheet. Spray top with cooking spray.
Dinosaur Eggs Linda Page, A Chef of Your Own, Orlando, Florida 1 lb. breakfast sausage 8 ounces cheddar cheese 10 jalapenos 1 lb. thick sliced bacon Combine sausage and cheese. Cut peppers lengthwise (try to only slit them so they will stay together to be stuffed) Stuff with sausage mixture. Wrap with bacon and secure with toothpick. Smoke about an hour, until sausage is cooked and bacon is done. Remove toothpicks and serve
Blueberry Corn Salad I made this for a client recently and it’s very good. I just use a small bag of frozen sweet corn instead of cooking fresh corn. Shelley Nachum, Short On Thyme Healthy & Gluten-Free Cooking, Delray Beach, FL Serves 10 2 Tbsp. lemon juice 1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper 2 Tbsp. honey 2 Tbsp. olive oil ½ tsp. salt 6 ears fresh sweet corn, husked (or small bag of frozen sweet corn) 1 English cucumber, quartered lengthwise and cut into ½” chunks (about 2 ½ cups) 1 cup fresh blueberries 1/3 cup finely chopped red onion 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil 1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese (2 ozs.) In a glass jar with a screw-top lid, combine lemon juice and crushed red pepper. Let stand 10 minutes. Add honey, oil and salt. Cover; shake well to combine. Set aside.
In a large pot bring salted water to a boil. Add corn. Cook, covered 5 minutes or until corn is tender. Using tongs remove corn from water. When corn is cool enough to handle, cut corn kernels from cobs and transfer to a very large bowl. Add cucumber, blueberries, red onion, and bail and lemon juice mixture. Toss well. Cover and chill at least 2 hours or up to 24 hours. Sprinkle with feta before serving. Adapted from a Publix quarterly magazine
Crispy Catfish & Cracked Freeke with Kumquat, Thai Basil & Chile Glaze Stella Giraldella, Basil Personal Chef LLC, Miami, Florida 2 Servings 2 Tilapia fillets 1/2 cup cracked Freekeh 3 cloves garlic 2 ounces kumquats 1 bunch collard greens 1 Large bunch Thai basil 2 Tbsp sugar 2 Tbsp instant flour 1 Bird’s eye chile 1 Tbsp rice vinegar Instructions: Cook the freekeh: heat a medium pot of salted water to boiling. Once boiling, add the freekeh and cook until tender. Drain thoroughly and return to the pot. Cook the collard greens, in a medium pan, heat 2 tsp of oil until hot. Add the garlic, cook stirring frequently, 2 minutes. Add the collard greens and use the lid to make a steamer. Season with salt and pepper. Cook 3 minutes. Transfer to the pot of cooked freekeh.
of water, stir in the kumquats, bird’s eye chile, sugar, vinegar, and half basil. Cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened. Turn off the heat discard the chile and season with salt and pepper to taste. Add a drizzle of olive oil into the pot of cooked collard greens and freekeh, stir to combine and season with salt and pepper. Divide the finished freekeh and cooked tilapia between 2 plates. Top each fillet with a few spoonfuls of the glaze. Garnish with the remaining basil. So Delicious!!
Confetti Stuffed Burritos Tortillas filled with Sweet Potato, Refried Beans, Red Bell Pepper, Corn, Carrots, Tomatoes, Black Beans and Cilantro Liz Geeslin, In Good Taste, Westfield, IN 1 large red bell pepper, diced 1 large carrot, diced 2 medium jalapeno, diced 1/2 cup cilantro (1 bunch, minced) 1 medium sweet potatoes, cooked diced 1 15 oz. can black beans, canned, drained and rinsed 115 oz. can corn, canned, no salt added 1 16 oz. can refried beans, fat free 2 10 3/4 oz. cans diced tomatoes, with green chile , Rotel (I use the Mexican with Cilantro & Lime) Seasoning of choice (I use just a bit of Penzey’s Southwest) 10 large tortillas of choice 2 cups cheddar jack cheese, shredded Dice all fresh vegetables and cooked sweet potato. Drain and rinse corn and beans, drain tomatoes. Mix ingredients gently and fill tortillas with mixture and cheese. Wrap in foil sheets. To heat, thaw, unwrap and microwave 2 minutes at 60% power or until heated through.
Cook the fish: pat the catfish fillets dry with paper towels, season with salt and pepper on both sides. Place the flour onto a large plate. Coat one side of each seasoned fillet with flour. In the same pan used to cook the collard greens, heat 1 tbsp of oil until hot. Add the fillets, coated side down first. Cook until golden brown. Transfer to a paper towel-line. Make the glaze: Heat a pan of reserved fond, until hot. Add 1/4 cup
Personal Chef | 19
Grilled Vegetables with Sweet & Spicy Dijon Mustard Frances Wright, Travelling Home Gourmet, Miramar, Florida Serves 4 1/2 cup Balsamic vinegar 1/2 cup honey 6 oz. Sweet & Spicy Dijon mustard (Gluten free, Lactose free) 1 tsp dried parsley (or fresh-chopped) 1 tsp dried basil (or fresh chopped) Vegetables 1 large Green bell pepper (deseeded and cut in 1/2” to 2” squares) 1 large Red bell pepper 1 package (about 8) Small to medium button mushrooms (clean and cut off stems) 1 medium white sweet onion (cut in 3/4” wedges 2 small Yellow squash (cut in 1/2” pieces) Tip: Double the recipe for vegetarians. Can be prepped and stored in the refrigerator until ready to grill. Method Soak desired amount of 11”or 12” wooden skewers in water (to prevent burning). About 8. Alternate vegetable pieces in sequence of colors and type of vegetable to fill a skewer (leave at least 2” of plain skewer at both ends.
2 tsp salt 4-6 whole chicken legs Prepare the marinade: In a medium bowl whisk first 6 ingredients. Set aside. Remove skin from chicken legs and trim as needed. Place them in a large, resealable plastic bag and pour in the marinade. Remove the air from the bag and seal. Turn the bag to evenly distribute the marinade. Refrigerate 4 to 8 hours, turning occasionally. Prepare the grill for indirect cooking over medium heat. Remove the chicken from the bag and discard marinade. Grill the chicken over indirect medium heat, with the lid closed as much as possible, until the juices run clear and the internal temperature reaches 170 F, 50 minutes to 1 hour. To freeze: Place chicken and marinade in resealable plastic bag and freeze. Have client remove chicken from the freezer the night before and thaw in the refrigerator. Once thawed, follow cooking directions as above. Adapted from Jamie Purviances’ Weber’s Way to Grill
Roast Cornish Game Hens in Vinaigrette sauce Chef Brando Spies, Thirty Two Fourteen Personal Chef Service, Parker, CO Buy one game hen for each two people, plus one extra hen
Using pastry brush, baste dressing on filled skewers when ready to grill. Vegetables may be grilled in the oven or on the Barbeque.
At least two hours ahead of time, prepare the sauce as follows:
Grilled Herbes de Provence Marinated Chicken
1/2 cup Vegetable Oil 1/2 cup Semi-Dry white wine or Zinfandel 1/2 cup vinegar (a good wine vinegar or tarragon vinegar) 1 whole bunch green onions, cleaned and sliced (include 2/3 of the green part too)
Outdoor cooking couldn’t be any easier! This is one of my favorite recipes for camping and cooking directly over the campfire. You can freeze the chicken ahead of time and allow it to thaw in your cooler as you travel to your campsite. At the end of the day, grill the chicken directly over the fire pit and enjoy a campfire feast. If you’re cooking for clients, this recipe is quick and easy to prepare. You can leave it to marinate in the fridge for your client to prepare at the end of your cook day, or freeze it in a resealable plastic bag and have your client thaw and prepare another day.
Use about 1 tablespoon of each of the following herbs: Tarragon Savory Marjoram 1/2 tsp of pepper & salt (or to taste) (be sure to crush dried herbs well and pick out the stems of savory) Swoosh all this together in a carafe’ and leave in a warm place until game hens are ready. Cut the hens in half, lengthwise. Wash all sides of pieces, and trim off excess fat. Rub pieces all over with fresh lemon juice. Brush with melted butter containing black pepper and ground marjoram.
Jennifer Gatis, Chef at Heart, Barrie, Ontario
Brown pieces in a heavy skillet of butter and oil. Leave pieces bone side down, and roast at 350 degrees, for about 45 minutes, or until legs move freely. (you can stand them up after browning if needed) If you have more than two hens, increase time by 5 minutes each.
Serves 4-6
Serve with wild rice, and pour the sauce over the hens and rice.
1 cup dry white wine 1/3 cup olive oil 3 tbsp whole-grain mustard 2 tbsp herbes de Provence 3 garlic cloves, minced
20 | Personal Chef
Pistachio Parsley Pesto Pasta with Grilled Shrimp and Tomatoes Jen Heringhausen, Relish, A Personal Chef Business, Holland, MI Serves 4 All you need: 12 oz. angel hair pasta 1 bunch flat-leaf parsley 10 fresh basil leaves 3 garlic cloves, chopped Zest of 1 lemon 1/4 cup shelled pistachios, toasted 1/2 cup olive oil 16 uncooked shrimp, peeled and deveined 16 grape tomatoes Salt and pepper, to taste All you do: 1. Preheat grill to medium-high. 2. Cook pasta in salted water until al dente. Drain and set aside. 3. Meanwhile, place parsley, basil, garlic, lemon zest and pistachios in a food processor or blender and process for 10 seconds. Add olive oil in a steady stream. Season with salt and pepper. 4. Pour pesto over the pasta and toss to combine. 4. Thread shrimp and tomatoes onto skewers. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place on the grill and cook for 3-4 minutes per side. Place pasta onto 4 plates and top each with a skewer. Squeeze fresh lemon juice over the top.
Grilled Corn and Black Bean Quinoa Salad This is a great summer salad recipe that is delicious served cold. It can be used as a side dish or even as a main dish entree if paired with a grilled chicken breast or other protein. Jennifer Brewster, Jennababe’s, Sacramento, CA Serves 8 4 cups cooked Quinoa 2 ears grilled corn on the cob (remove kernels from cob) 2 cups cooked black beans 1 small to medium red bell pepper, finely diced 1 bunch of cilantro, chopped fine 3/4 cup of cotija or feta cheese 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil 1/2 cup lime juice 1 Tbsp Kosher salt 1 teaspoon black pepper
Chilled Borscht For a client request, I adapted my Mom’s hearty Polish Barszcz soup recipe, to make this lighter summer version. This makes enough for four generous servings and will keep, covered in the fridge for several days. Serve with a dollop of sour cream or plain yogurt on a hot summer day. It makes a refreshing addition to any lunch or dinner menu. Joanne Ochej, Just In Thyme PCS, Toronto, ON Ingredients: 2 lbs. beets 1/2 medium onion 4 1/2 cups Chicken stock (approx.) 2 tablespoon red wine vinegar 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, freshly ground 1-2 teaspoons sugar, to taste (depending on the sweetness of the beets) Preparation: With gloved hands, peel the beets, leaving a few inches of stem for a handle. Cut them into quarters, or halves if smaller. Get the medium sized, deep sauce pan you’re going to cook the soup in, put it in your sink, to grate the beets into. Still wearing gloves, grate the beets and onion directly into the pot. Watch for splatters - wipe immediately or risk staining! Add chicken stock and vinegar then bring to a boil. Add salt and pepper then turn down to a simmer and cover. Cook for approx. 25-35 minutes or until beets are tender. Taste at the end, and if you want a little sweetness, stir in the sugar until dissolved. Let cool, cover and store covered, in the fridge. Best tip: if you peel the beets directly into an open bag it will save on clean up!
Spicy Watermelon and Peach Salad Linda Page, A Chef of Your Own, Orlando, Florida Juice of two limes 2 Tbsp. honey 1 Tbsp. fresh mint, finely chopped 1 lb. bag of frozen peaches, cut in half ½ of a large seedless watermelon, cubed Combine all ingredients. Let chill 1-2 hours Adapted from a Fresh Market demo for the Watermelon Board
Combine all ingredients together in a large bowl and mix until combined well. Chill and serve cold.
Personal Chef | 21
Grilled Potato Salad with a Bacon Vinaigrette
Pan-Seared Salmon with Horseradish Cream and Watercress Puree
Linda Page, A Chef of Your Own, Orlando, Florida
Like all fish, salmon is way easy to overcook, so I use sous vide is such an excellent method for preparing it. Unlike fish made in a traditional oven, the exterior of sous vide–cooked salmon never contracts and dries out from exposure to too much heat, the fish emerges bright pink in color, with a spectacular fork-tender texture.
2 lbs. sweet potatoes cut in slices 2 lbs. small Yukon gold potatoes cut in slices 1 lb. bacon ½ cup balsamic vinegar ¼ cup olive oil 1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard Bunch scallions 1 clove garlic Salt and pepper to taste Blanch potato slices in boiling water for 5 minutes. Grill over medium high heat until potato slices are marked and cooked through. Set aside. Sauté bacon until crisp. Combine all ingredients and toss well. I serve this warm
Grilled Chicken Breast with Roasted Grape Tomatoes Kevin Winston II, Elite Culinary Concepts Inc Chicken: 1 tablespoon grated lemon rind 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 1 teaspoon olive oil 2 garlic cloves, minced 8 chicken breasts, boneless, skinless (about 1 1/2 pounds) 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper Cooking spray 1 tablespoon paprika Tomatoes: 2 cups grape tomatoes 2 teaspoons olive oil 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley 1 teaspoon grated lemon rind 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 1 tablespoon capers 1/8 teaspoon salt 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1. Prepare grill. 2. To prepare chicken, combine first 4 ingredients in a large zip-top plastic bag. Add chicken to bag; seal. Marinate in refrigerator 15 minutes, turning the bag occasionally. 3. Remove chicken from bag; discard marinade. Sprinkle chicken evenly with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Place chicken on grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 5 minutes on each side or until done. 4. Preheat oven to 425°. 5. To prepare tomatoes, combine tomatoes and 2 teaspoons oil in an 8-inch square baking dish; toss gently. Bake at 425° for 18 minutes or until tomatoes are tender. Combine tomato mixture, parsley, and remaining ingredients, stirring gently. Serve with chicken.
22 | Personal Chef
Sunny Law, Sushi Table PCS, Lemoore, CA 6 oz. Salmon filets 4 each Olive Oil, as needed Maldon sea salt, as needed Pepper, as needed Fresh horseradish 50 g Cream 350 g Watercress, as needed xanthan gum, as needed Sous-vide cooking Method Prepare water bath Using the sous vide equipment (if you don’t have sous vide equipment, (using improvised stovetop method) heat a water bath to 125 °F / 52 °C. Add a generous amount of oil to a Vacuum bag. Fish filets have a tendency to stick together in the bag, the oil will help prevent this. Place fish filets in the bag, use the Vacuum packaging machine to vacuum sealing the bag lace the air surrounding the portions of fish. Transfer to bath. If you don’t have Vacuum packaging equipment, you can use a zip lock bag. Add a generous amount of oil to a quart-sized, zip lock-style bag. Fish filets have a tendency to stick together in the bag; the oil will help prevent this. Place fish filets in the bag, avoid packing them too tightly, which will distort their shape. Submerge the packaged fish into a sous vide bath and use the water to displace the air surrounding the portions of fish. Leave the edge of the packaging open and hang it over the edge of sous vide bath, use a paperclip or a lid for the bath to hold the bag in place. ) Note: Cook time will vary based on the size of your fish. For this recipe, I use one-inch filets that weigh about four to six ounces. They cook in about 25 minutes. Transfer cooked fillets to a plate, skin side up. Add Olive oil to a pan over medium-high heat. Gently flip filets into the pan so that the skin side is facing down (I only sear on that side). Let brown about 45 seconds without disturbing—once the skin is crispy, the fish will easily slide out of the pan without sticking. Season filets as Maldon sea salt and pepper desired and serve. Prepare horseradish Cream Combine the fresh horseradish 50 g with cream 350 g Vacuum package and refrigerate or simply store in a sealed container. Refrigerate for 1–24 hours. The longer the infusion time, the “hotter” the cream will become. Whisk salt 3.2 g and xanthan gum 0.3 g into the cream. Whip the cream into very soft peaks. Refrigerate if not using immediately. Watercress Purée Pick and rinse watercress. Blanch in a large pot of boiling water for 45 seconds.
Strain from the boiling water and plunge into an ice bath. Stir watercress in the ice bath to ensure even cooling. Strain watercress from the ice bath and place into the blender and purée. Add xanthan 0.1 % to the purée
of the cooking sheet pinching them together with the tips of your fingers. Next gather the 4 sides of the cooking sheet combining them together to form a bundle. Wrap the string or raffia around the bundle twice. Tie a bow/knot approx. 1/3rd from the top.
Blend the purée together with the xanthan gum until smooth. The xanthan gum will prevent the purée from separating and weeping. Strain the puree through fine sieve. If the purée will not be used promptly, vacuum-package it to eliminate oxygen and preserve the color of the purée. Season with salt just before serving—leaving salt in the purée for too long will discolor it.
Do not place oils or fats between the cooking sheet material and cooking surfaces. Cooking guidelines are based on portion sizes. adjust cook times accordingly to cooking results.
Assembly Assemble the dish by spooning the Horseradish Cream and Watercress Puree into the base of a plate and arranging the salmon over top, creating volume. Garnish with a few sprigs of watercress
Grilled Filet Mignon with Whiskey Sunny Law, Sushi Table PCS, Lemoore, CA
Standard or Convection Oven: Preheat oven to 375°F/190°C. Place bundle/s on a dry cookie sheet (without cooking oils or fats) and bake for 5-8 minutes or until fully cooked* Stove top (Gas or Electric), Standard or Induction: Place the bundles (without cooking oils/fats) directly into a cold pan. Cook on low to medium-low heat, gently shaking bundles occasionally for 5-9 minutes or until fully cooked* After cooking, open bundles by pulling or cutting open the bow or knot. Use caution as contents may be very hot. *For food safety, insure that the center point of all of the proteins have reached a minimum of 165°F (or 74°C).
Serves 4 Equipment Vacuum packaging machine Sous-Vide machine Ingredients Trimmed filet mignon 1 ½ Ibs, cut to 3 inches Whiskey 3 tbsp Maldon salt, as needed Szechuan pepper, as needed Method Prepare water bath Using the sous vide equipment heat a water bath to 138 °F / 59 °C. Vacuum seal the filet, seasoned with Maldon salt, Szechuan pepper and the 3 tablespoons of whiskey. Transfer to bath. They cook in about 60 minutes. (Plunge into an ice bath. Stir watercress in the ice bath to ensure even cooling. Refrigerate if not using immediately) Finish Once the filet is cooked, remove it from the bag and lightly brown the outside on a charcoal grill. Cut into slices.
Seafood Melody Sunny Law, Sushi Table PCS, Lemoore, CA Ingredients Onion as needed Tuna 3 oz Shrimp 4 pcs Scallop 2 pcs Green mussels 2 pcs Garlic as needed Olive Oil as needed Maldon sea salt as needed Pepper as needed Klearcook-pro high temperature cooking sheets Method Place a cooking sheet on a clean dry work surface or bowl, place ingredients in the center of the sheet. Prepare approx. 12” (30 cm) lengths of butchers string or natural raffia. Gather the 4 corner points
Champagne Mango and Avocado Salad with Charred Green Onion Vinaigrette In the spring time markets begin to transform with new life and one of Mexicans hidden treasure is the Champagne Mango. Also known as the Ataulfo Mango, by summertime these gems can typically be had for cheap and make a light and refreshing accompaniment to a delicious salad. Graham J. Schave, Your Gourmet Personal Chef + Private Catering, Commerce, MI Serves 2 1 each Champagne Mango, peeled and diced small 1 each Ripe Avocado, cleaned and diced small 6 oz. Tender Field Greens, preferably local 1/4 cup Red Onion, minced very finely 8-10 Grape or Cherry Tomatoes, halved lengthwise 5-6 each Green Onions or Ramps (if available) 2 tbsp. White Wine or Champagne Vinegar 2 tsp. Dijon Mustard 2 tsp. Honey 6 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil Directions: For the vinaigrette, prepare your grill to a medium-high setting. Once preheated gently season the green onions with a teaspoon of olive oil, salt and pepper to taste and quickly grill for approximately 2 minutes. Toss and flip the scallions as needed to achieve a slight char on all sides. Reserve the grilled scallions. Once cooled, rough chop the scallions and add to a blender or food processor along with the vinegar, Dijon and honey. Blend for 1-2 minutes until a fine paste is achieved. Then with the machine running slowly drizzle in the olive oil to create an emulsified dressing. With the vinaigrette complete gather the remaining ingredients. Toss everything in a large bowl with the desired amount of dressing and enjoy!
Personal Chef | 23
Grilled Lamb Burgers
Simple Salad
I was experimenting and developed this original recipe for healthy lamb burgers.
Frances Wright, Travelling Home Gourmet, Miramar, Florida
Chef Brando Spies, Thirty Two Fourteen Personal Chef Service, Parker, CO 2 1/2 lbs. of ground lamb 1 bunch of Lacinato Kale (about 1 1/2 cup that’s been ground in food processor) 3 Tbsp Dill weed 2 Tbsp Ground Mustard Powder
Serves 4 2 heads Artisan lettuce (washed, separated and dried) 4 small Roma tomatoes (washed & quartered lengthwise) 4 handfuls of prewashed spinach & baby kale mix 4 medium carrots (washed, peeled & shaved or shredded) Cranberries for garnish Dressing: Drizzle Rice Wine Vinegar just before serving (white Balsamic vinegar may be substituted with sweetener added (optional)
Combine Lamb in bowl along with Kale, Dill Weed, & Mustard powder. Mix well with your hands or you can use the Dough hook on your mixer about 2 to 3 minutes until it’s well combined. Measure out about 6 to 8 oz. of mixture and form patties. An easy way to do this is form a big ball and put it on a jelly roll pan after you have them all formed cover with parchment paper and another jelly roll pan and press the top pan down to form the patties.
Week Night Grilled Chicken Breast w/ Haricot Vert and Charred Corn Succotash
Heat grill on high heat you want your grill to be at 425 degrees F when you put them on. This creates a nice sear. Turn the grill down to med / med low. Cook until the internal temp reaches 165 Degrees.
Graham J. Schave, Your Gourmet Personal Chef + Private Catering, Commerce, MI
I cook my lamb to an internal temp of 130. I like my lamb to be med rare. Enjoy!!
Shredded Carrot Salad This carrot salad is refreshing and portable. It also has a wonderful play between sweet and sour and has a colorful appeal. Christine Scalfo, HHC, AADP, Food for Living, Vineland, NJ Serves 4 Ingredients: 1 lb. organic carrots 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar 1 teaspoon umeboshi plum vinegar (or lemon juice + a pinch of sea salt) 4 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil Juice of a handful of freshly grated ginger ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley ¼ cup raisins Directions: 1. Shred or grate carrots by hand with a food grater or in a food processor. 2. In large bowl, combine apple cider vinegar, umeboshi plum vinegar and extra virgin olive oil, along with the ginger juice. 3. Whisk briskly. 4. Add raisins and chopped fresh parsley. 5. Add carrots and toss all ingredients. Adapted from a recipe from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition
24 | Personal Chef
A simple summer recipe for those when you just can’t find the time for dinner, but are still avoiding take out like the plague!
2-4 6 oz. boneless, skinless Chicken Breasts Trimmed 8 oz. French Green Beans or Haricot Vert 1 tsp. Smoked Paprika 1 tsp. Cumin 1 tsp. Chili Powder, mild or spicy 1/2 tsp. Coriander 1/2 tsp. Onion Powder 1 tsp. dried Thyme 1/2 tsp. dried Rosemary 1 tbsp. fresh Garlic, minced 1/2 each juice from a lemon 2 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil 2 ears fresh Sweet Corn, corn removed 1 each Red Bell Pepper, diced small 1/2 each Red Onion, diced small 3 each Garlic Cloves 2 tbsp. Butter, unsalted 4 oz. Chicken Stock 1/2 each juicy Lemon 2 tbsp. fresh Parsley, Chives or Dill, minced well Directions: Prepare the spice rub by combining all ingredients smoked paprika through olive oil and stirring well. Add the cleaned and trimmed chicken breasts to the rub, toss well to coat and allow to marinate at room temperature for up to an hour. Meanwhile, gather the ingredients for the succotash. Over a medium-high setting or flame, melt the butter in a 12” sauté pan. Once the butter has melted and begins lightly bubbling add the red onion and sauté for 1-2 minutes. Next add both the bell pepper, garlic and sweet corn. Toss the ingredients well and continue sautéing for another 2 minutes. Once all of the ingredients are translucent add the chicken stock and juice from 1/2 a lemon to the pan. Cook the liquids out for 2-3 minutes until reduced to a new glaze consistency. Season to taste with salt and pepper. While the succotash is coming together have a pot with water large enough for the beans coming to a boil as well as preparing your grill for a medium-high heat. The chicken breasts are to be grilled for approximately 3-4 minutes
per side. With a thermometer bring the internal temperature to 160 degrees before removing from the grill and allowing to carry over. The French beans are to be blanched in the boiling water for 2 minutes just until slightly tender and bright green. Plate the beans first, topped with the reserved succotash and finally the sliced chicken breast. Garnish the dish with the reserved fresh herbs and enjoy!
2 teaspoons sugar 1 teaspoon cumin powder 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard 1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce 2/3 cup canola oil 1/3 cup white vinegar
Free Range Buffalo and Bleu Burger
In a large bowl, mix corn through parsley. Combine garlic through remaining ingredients in a small bowl and stir well. Toss dressing gently with the vegetables. Chill 8 hours before serving.
Melissa Bess Reed, Gluten Free Lifestyle Series, Ventura, CA To make Buffalo and Bleu Burger perfection you will need: 1lb. Fresh Free-range Ground Bison (Buffalo) or Beef Sea Salt and Fresh Ground Pepper Sweet Onion Butter Leaf Lettuce Gluten Free Lifestyle Series Hot Wing Sauce or your favorite wing sauce Bleu Cheese GF Dressing (*add GF Bleu Cheese Crumbles if love extra Bleu Flavor) Gluten-free Buns Buffalo and Bleu Burger Divide the fresh free-range ground bison or beef evenly, roll into balls and then pat to preferred thickness to make into 4-6 patties. Cook free range beef patties until done to preference on the grill, skillet, broiler or in oven. Season to taste with sea salt and fresh ground pepper Slice sweet onions thin. Then rinse and dry the butter leaf lettuce; set aside. Toast Gluten-free Buns. Spread GLUTEN FREE LIFESTYLE SERIES™ Hot Wing Sauce or your favorite wing sauce to top bun half and then spread Gluten Free Bleu Cheese Dressing to the bottom half. Add GF Bleu Cheese Crumbles to bottom bun side if using. Assemble burger patty on toasted prepared bun, adding lettuce and onion on top of patty. Serving suggestion: Cut Burgers in half and serve with extra Wing Sauce and Bleu Cheese Dressing. Enjoy with a side salad of spring greens and/or fresh celery, carrot and cucumber spears!
Summer Corn Salad A Perfect Combination of Summer Vegetables in a Light Dijon Dressing Liz Geeslin, In Good Taste, Westfield, IN Serves 8–10 4 cups corn kernels, about 8 ears, cooked, kernels removed 1 large sweet onion, diced 2 zucchini, unpeeled & cubed 1 green onion bunch, sliced 1 red bell pepper, chopped small 1 green bell pepper, chopped small ¼ cup parsley, fresh, minced
Mango Shrimp Ceviche Stella Giraldella, Basil Personal Chef LLC, Miami, Florida 6 Servings 1 pound fresh large shrimp in shells (20 shrimp), peeled, deveined, and halved lengthwise, if desired 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 to 2 mangoes, halved, seeded, peeled, and chopped 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved 1/4 cup chopped onion 1 to 2 tablespoons snipped fresh cilantro or parsley Juice of 1 orange (1/4 to 1/3 cup) Juice of 6 limes Salt and ground black pepper In large container cook shrimp with lime 3 hours or until shrimp turn opaque, stirring occasionally. Drain shrimp. Place in large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil; toss to combine. Stir in mangoes, tomatoes, onion and cilantro. Drizzle orange and lime juice (2 tablespoons) over shrimp mixture. Toss to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover; chill up to 8 hours.
Chopped Seven Greens Salad Tanya Barbarics, I Love This Food! Personal Chef Service, Williamstown, NJ Serves 6-8 3-4 tbsp olive oil 2-3 tbsp red wine vinegar pepper 1-2 small romaine, chopped 1 bunch arugula, chopped 1 bunch watercress, chopped 6-8 scallions, thinly sliced 2 celery ribs, chopped 1-2 Persian cucumber, chopped 1 small fennel bulb, finely chopped salt ¼ cup toasted pine nuts (or ½ cup feta cheese) In small bowl, whisk together oil, vinegar, and plenty of pepper. Set aside. In large bowl, combine all greens and fennel. Whisk dressing again and pour over salad. Add salt to taste, toss and sprinkle with nuts or cheese. Note: Can add dill or mint
Dressing: 1 teaspoon garlic, minced 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/8 teaspoon pepper
Personal Chef | 25
Refreshing Chilled Green Soup Sylvia Anton, Eclectic Personal Chef, LLC, Matthews, NC 2 T grape seed oil 1 med sweet onion, diced 1 small fennel bulb, diced 1 stalk celery, diced 1 T fresh ground fennel seed, toasted 1 1/2 qts chicken stock 1 small bunch fresh mint leaves (sweet mint or Kentucky mint, the mint that grows wild in your yard is what you want) 1 Persian Cucumber, 1 Persian Salt & white pepper Heavy cream, whipped Heat oil in 12 inch skillet then add fennel, celery and onion plus a little salt & white pepper to season this first layer. The salt will help soften by pulling out the moisture in the veggies. In the meantime, toast the fennel seeds on low heat in a dry skillet until they become fragrant. Transfer to a spice grinder and give it a whirl until is fine powder. Like fine ground coffee, the finer the grind the more potent the flavor. Then add the ground fennel to the sautéed veggies. Add about 2 cups of the chicken stock to pick up the bits on the bottom of the pan (where the flavor is). Add a nice size bunch of fresh mint and allow the heat to bloom the aromas of the mint for a couple of minutes. Transfer to a blender or food processor, add the rest of the chicken stock and give it a whirl, then adjust seasonings. Pour soup through a sieve pressing into the veggie mixture with the back of a spoon to extract as much flavor as possible. Discard the extracted veggies which have done their job. The result will be a clear soup with a watery consistency. Spoon the soup into a chilled bowl. Fold in enough whipped cream to give this soup a little body. Serve a wedge of lime and/or a sprig of fresh mint on the side. The squeeze of a fresh lime brightens up the soup. Bruise the mint between your fingertips and drop into the soup for extra freshness. Tips: The key to a successful chilled soup is to always serve it in a chilled bowl. Otherwise it appears as if it is a hot soup that has cooled down. Chilled food requires more seasoning than warm or hot because heat naturally causes seasonings to bloom, so be generous. This is one reason white pepper is used in this dish as it is the superior peppercorn providing more flavor than black peppercorns.
Tuna and Two Bean Salad Tanya Barbarics. I Love This Food! Personal Chef Service, Williamstown, NJ Serves 4 1 large tuna steak, ¾” thick (1lb or more) salt and black pepper 2 cups green beans, cut ½” 1 can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained ¼ cups red onion, chopped 4 tbsp dill, chopped 1 cup cherry tomatoes, cut in half
26 | Personal Chef
3 tbsp white wine vinegar 1 tbsp olive oil 1 tsp Dijon mustard Romaine lettuce 1 lime, cut into wedges Heat broiler or grill. Season tuna with salt and pepper and broil or grill till browned on outside and pale pink in center, about 3 minutes per side. Remove and cut into ½” pieces. Set aside at room temperature. Cook green beans in boiling water till crisp, about 4 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water. Set aside. Whisk vinegar, oil, mustard and salt and pepper to taste in large bowl till blended. Add tuna, beans, onion, dill and tomatoes to dressing. Toss to coat. Line large plate with lettuce and spread tuna mixture on top. Garnish with lime wedges. Serve cold or at room temperature.
How Hot is That Oven?? Here is a quick check if your oven heats to the correct temperature. Set it to 350° Fahrenheit and put half a teaspoon of regular granulated sugar on an oven-safe vessel. Leave it in the oven for 15 minutes and watch the result. If it turned to a brown liquid, your oven heated to more than 366° F. If not, increase the temperature setting to 360° repeat the procedure. Still not liquid, set it to 370° and so on until it turns liquid. Now evaluate the difference between the setting on the dial and reality. Your oven needs to be recalibrated if the difference of your setting minus 366° F is more than +/-15 degrees. It also could explain a lot of your misfortune in the baking department. Norbert Klotz, My Chef Lara, Providence, RI
Check out Periscope. Recently purchased by Twitter, this free app allows you to broadcast video from your phone or tablet to your Twitter followers any beyond. It’s a fun way to attract people in your local market as you showcase your skills live. Many of you saw how it worked when you followed #USPCA2015 live streams during the conference. Download the app and be sure you’re following @USPCA.
Improve your image. Last year HireAChef.com went through not only a facelift
but a behind-the-scenes update as well. You now have control of your HireAChef listing and it can be as strong as you can make it from ZIP code listings to photos and more. You can even launch special offers for periods of time! Sound intimidating? It’s not. If you want help getting your listing looking its best and attracting new customers? Get with Vince at vlikar@uspca.com.
New Phones. We’ve been changing our operations structure inside USPCA and one of those changes moved to a more dynamic phone system that supports our virtual workforce. The toll-free number hasn’t changed but the extensions have. However we no longer use the land-based system that was tied to a 9-5 Eastern time reception desk. While the system is auto-answered, the extensions reach staff 24/7. If we’re on another line (or asleep at 3AM), you will probably get voicemail, but the responses should be faster and more timely. Visit http://uspca.com/our-team/ to remember who we are and to see the new extensions.
Pay Your Dues. Dues billing starts two months prior to your renewal date to give you plenty of time to connect with the accounting office.
We contact you via direct mail, email and telephone. Timeliness is important because the first day of the first month after a member fails to renew, their liability insurance is suspended and HireAChef listing taken down. Keep in mind your investment in USPCA enables us to take the time to find the services you need (updated HireAChef, new insurance programs, Modernmeal business/menu management and more) to give you the time to spend with your clients. Please help us help you and renew on time. Payment plans are available! Contact accounting at 1-800995-2138 (Ext 706) for more information if you need it.
Personal Chef | 27
Eat to Keep Cool This Summer It’s summer and it’s hot. In attempts to keep cool we wear fewer, lighter clothes; turn on the fan or air conditioning, try not to over-exert ourselves, or go swimming or to the beach to enjoy the cool ocean breeze. Instinctively, we eat differently too - or, at least we should. Most of us tend to eat more salads and raw foods and drink more liquids in the summer months to help us keep our cool. And that’s exactly what we should be doing. But there are a few other things we can do to keep cool as it relates to our diet. One suggestion is to alter the way we cook. Cooking methods can influence the heating or cooling energies of the foods we eat. In winter, we’re more inclined to want to eat carrots cooked or blended into a creamy carrot soup. However, in the summer that might not sound as appealing as a cool, refreshing shredded carrot salad. Here are a few additional tips to help keep you cool as a cucumber the rest of the summer.
• • • • • • • •
•
Eat more raw foods and salads. Cook using more cooling (Yin) methods such as quick boiling, steaming or stir-frying. Eat more upward-growing foods (cabbage, squash, broccoli) as opposed to downward growing foods (root vegetables). Use less salt. Use vinegar, lemon and fresh herbs in food. Eat plenty of leafy greens. Drink plenty of water. Drink liquids at room temperature, if possible. At least try to limit iced drinks to between meals, rather than with meals. Iced drinks cause our stomach to generate more heat to bring it up to the temperature it needs for digestion and can actually make us hotter in the long run. Eat spicy foods. In some countries this is how they keep cool because these foods cause people to perspire, which has an overall cooling effect on the body.
Christine Scalfo, HHC, AADP Helping to get more plant foods into your diet…one bite at a time For Us – For the Planet – For the Animals www.foodforliving.net Christine@foodforliving.net 856-696-4234
28 | Personal Chef
The Wonders of Broccoli Slaw In the summer, when it is so hot that the spatula has melted to the countertop, sometimes I want to cheat while making dinner. Cole slaw has its merits, but for me summer is broccoli slaw time. I use it both for clients and for myself. I find I can throw some into just about everything! Cold and fresh, it provides a nice crunch. Steamed, it provides easy added veggies and still has texture. This way it also works great for folks who can’t eat or don’t like raw veggies. Yes you can shred your own, especially when the farmer’s market has nice carrots and broccoli. Once you do, or if you want to cheat and just buy some (I promise I won’t judge), here are some things to do with a bag (or about 2 cups) of it: • • • • • • •
Add ½ cup raisins or craisins and ½ cup toasted nuts with 2 to 4 tablespoons of a creamy mayo or tofu based spread Add to a mash of 1 package soft tofu, 2 tablespoons chutney, 2 teaspoons curry powder and 1 tablespoon shredded coconut (raw or toasted but not sweetened) Dice up two apples and toss with 2 tablespoons mayo, and ¼ cup pecans Toss into a mixed green salad with a diced avocado and ½ cup corn kernels Dress with 1 to 3 Tablespoons of Italian dressing, and toss with 1 cup chickpeas or white beans, 2 to 4 ounces of crumbled feta cheese and 1 cup diced cherry tomatoes and ¼ cup pitted semi dried black olives Steam with 2 Tablespoons of water (2 to 3 minutes in the microwave is perfect if you don’t want to use the stove) and toss with cooked, diced chicken, shrimp or pork and 1 Tablespoon sesame oil, garnish with fresh herbs Steam as above, season with soy or hoisin sauce to taste and wrap with softened soy paper and/or lettuce leaves for quick hand rolls.
If it is cool enough to cook: • • • •
Cook with a large diced zucchini, a medium diced red onion and 4 ounces of sliced mushrooms to desired degree of crunch. Add 1 tablespoon each of dried Mexican Oregano and ground cumin. Toss with 2 ounces shredded cheddar cheese or crumbled Mexican queso and serve over 1 cup cooked rice, corn, black beans, quinoa or a mixture of any of these Toss into your favorite stir fry Use in your favorite burritos or tacos (made with a mild white fish and some Sriracha mayo is our family fave) Toss into a batch of corn bread batter with 1 cup cheese and bake up a spoon bread
Jen Sternfeld, CPC Dinner Vacations Schenectady, NY
Personal Chef | 29
Your Services are Valuable! I was presenting recently to a culinary school in NYC and the question was asked: When I am first starting out or even if I have been in business for a while and I have money/poor cash flow should I take a client that is willing to pay me less to just have something coming in (as far as money)? I know some of you are thinking well if you have no money coming in then some is better than nothing. Others are thinking, no because taking clients out of desperation always leads to taking clients out of desperation. Some of you may be thinking, “yes because other people will come to the party and really like my food.” Here is what happens, when you cater for an event or take on a client as a personal chef for lower than what you know you should be making the following things occur: • • • •
• • • • •
You automatically do not recognize the value you bring to the table and neither will your customer. Your client will always expect the same rate if they call you again when you don’t need the money and then will not understand why your prices are higher. Your reputation could take a hit for saying no the second time around because now the client is confused. Lowering your price and doing an amazing job (which you will) means that that client will tell all of his or her friends about how amazing you are and you will have to provide that same price. You can’t change a different amount because the two clients will talk. Now you have established a whole tribe of people that want you for a lower price. Remember desperation brings more desperation. Normally when you take a client out of desperation, that ideal, perfect client comes along that is willing to pay you what you ask and wants that same day and time that you have promised the lower paying client. It is much easier start the client out at the right price because it is really hard to raise your prices. You normally spend the whole time during your clients cook day or event kicking yourself for taking such a client. Other people that come to the party will also most likely will want to pay the same price point because most people invite friends to their parties or surround themselves with friends that can afford about the same thing they can. It is a herd mentality. Lastly, normally something goes wrong during the event, which ends up costing you more money such as the client becomes a complete pain the butt or details were not what you thought.
Deb Cantrell, Savor Culinary Services, Fort Worth, Texas
30 | Personal Chef
Quick Cash Flow Generating Secrets for Dry Spells Many personal chefs struggle to consistently keep their calendars fully booked. There is often a feast or famine pattern to their businesses that makes it difficult to know how much they will be making from month to month. Ideally, to prevent the all or nothing business cycle, you want to design your business so that you minimize the number of slow months you experience. You also want to anticipate any times of the year that are typically slow and plan for them by setting aside money during the busier months to cover. But what happens if your business isn’t yet designed to reduce the feast or famine moments? What if you didn’t anticipate or plan for a slowdown? Here are 7 secrets that can generate quick cash for you when needed if implemented:
Secret #1: Offer savings to clients who pay for your services up front to give them incentive to do so. Most personal chefs charge for their
services as they go, but some of your clients may be perfectly fine paying you for a couple of months (or weeks) in advance if they can save.
Secret #2: Invite your list and past and present clients to a special dinner party for a fee (Choose a dinner party theme that everyone will be thrilled to attend). If you are in regular contact with your list, you can start promoting a dinner party about three weeks prior to the dinner party date. You will need to send out at least 3 notifications to your list about your dinner party to ensure the most sign-ups.
Secret #3: Offer a special occasion sale on one or more of your services. I normally am not a fan of “discounting” your services, but when
you do so once in a blue moon for a very specific and strategic purpose, it can be a great way to incentivize some of the people on your list who always wanted to use your services to finally take action.
Secret #4: Let colleagues know that you are available to take on any extra business that comes their way that they can’t handle. You can
also ask other personal chefs if they could use help for one of their upcoming events. Many personal chefs get business from other personal chefs whose schedules are booked or whose schedules include a lot of large events. Be sure to join your local USPCA chapter and be active. You want to build relationships with the personal chefs in your area so you can support one another when needed.
Secret #5: Ask your clients for a referral. There is no reason to be shy about asking for a referral. Your clients won’t take it amiss, and if
they are happy with your service, they will be more than happy to pass your name on. Don’t assume that a client who loves your service will automatically refer you to others. That doesn’t always happen on its own without you asking for the referral.
Secret #6: Follow up with your leads by phone and offer a short-term service that they can easily say “yes!” to. And if you don’t have a hot
leads list, start building one now. You need to keep track of everyone and everybody who has ever expressed some kind of interest in your services. You also want to touch base with your leads on occasion just to see how they are doing. Lots of unexpected business will come your way if you take the time to do this.
Secret #7: : Think of a quick, easy add-on service your current clients may like and pay extra for. Your clients are your raving fans, and it is much easier to get more business from an existing client who already likes and trusts you than it is to get business from a stranger.
If you want to keep the money from your business flowing your way consistently, always have a plan in place on how you are going to handle slow cash flow times. You will feel much more in control of your situation knowing how to handle money emergencies with grace and ease! What have you done to generate cash during a slow period in your business?
Sändra Hoedemaker founder of Chef in Demand helps personal chefs market well, get known and attract ideal clients with ease. When she’s not helping personal chefs succeed, she is spending time with her husband in their organic vegetable garden and cooking up a storm. Sändra is the creator of “5 Secrets to Keep Your Calendar Fully Booked” a free audio e-course training series to help personal chefs get ideal clients. To sign-up for your free training visit http://www.bookedbiz.com.
Personal Chef | 31
Stay Safe on the Internet Never respond to spam
Those unsolicited e-mails trying to sell you anything from miracle diets to cheap prescription drugs clog your in-box and waste your time. Spam exists because it’s profitable. And it’s only profitable because a small percentage of people respond to it. Don’t be one of them. If you reply at all, even to ask to be removed from a list, the amount of spam you get may triple. Your e-mail provider should offer spam protection, perhaps in the form of a junk mail folder, to filter it out.
Don’t fall for phishing scams
It’s easy to become the target of hackers who are phishing: They send out e-mails that look exactly as though they came from your bank but contain links that send you to a fake site disguised to look like your bank’s log-in page. Then, when you think you’re logging in, you’re actually sending thieves your user name and password. It’s probably okay to click links from people you trust that go to sites you trust and don’t require a password to log in. If you don’t recognize the main site’s URL, play it safe and don’t click.
Never open an attachment you weren’t expecting.
Watch out for generic greetings like “thought you’d like this” or “this is so funny!!!” Tell friends to send you links in an e-mail instead of attachments. But be wary of links that were sent through Facebook, Twitter, or instant messages, since hackers also target social media. If you get a Facebook notice that sounds fishy (“Win a free iPad!”), it probably is.
Don’t give out your personal information too easily.
When a site requests personal details (your full name, Social Security number, birth date, address), ask yourself why. An online shopping site obviously needs your address. But your date of birth? Never part with personal information gratuitously. Also, check the privacy policy for any site that asks you to register. If it allows the site to sell your data to other companies, think twice before signing up.
32 | Personal Chef
Never send anything in e-mail you wouldn’t want to see on a billboard in Times Square.
E-mail is not secure. The majority of the time, that’s fine. But just as you wouldn’t send someone your Social Security number on a postcard (given that every mail handler can see it), every e-mail is essentially an open door to your computer, your recipient’s computer, and other points between. So don’t use it to send anything worth stealing -- in the body of an e-mail or in an attachment. “If I had to send my Social Security number to someone and didn’t have a secure method for that, I’d just tell them over the phone,” says James Van Dyke, CEO of Javelin Strategy & Research, a financial services research firm.
Beware of windows or pages that prompt you to click a link to run software.
Malicious web sites can create prompts that look like messages from your browser or computer. If you see a pop-up you think is risky, go to the company’s web site for scans and downloads.
Watch for shortened URLs, and numbers, hyphens or special characters in a URL. Scammers manipulate URLs to trick users. Be wary of URL’s posted in Facebook and sent via email. Use a search engine to identify the actual URL.
When you use a search engine be very careful of the result you click on. Hackers use legitimate looking topics to trick you into clicking. Scrutinize the URL to ensure you are going to a legitimate web site.
Never trust free content
Free movie, music and video downloads often include pirated content and just as often this content contains viruses and malware.
Vary your passwords from site to site
When you use the same password across many sites it makes it easy for criminals to hack all of your accounts. Use more complex and varied passwords for sites with personal information such as banking sites.
Google is Going All In with Mobile. Here is The Problem & Solution. Google released the mobile friendly update in the spring. Here are a few things you need to know. One thing I do know with regards to Google is I have been following them actively for over 10 years, most of those years with a heavy focus on Search Marketing, SEO and the impact these updates have on small businesses especially as it pertains to a local market. With the many options that local small businesses have to generate leads via social media and other paid advertising options online, I could almost feel Google engineers building up, ready for a big search engine update. Well guess what , ladies & gentlemen that own small businesses, that time is now and it’s called ” Google Mobilegeddon”. So you can ask anyone that knows me personally and professionally I am all about the “Problem + Solution” whether it’s running our digital agency MarketLoyal .com or teaching my 4-year-old daughter a lesson on life, I instantly try to locate the problem and then find a solution so that what I plan to do today. Here are a few PROBLEMS and the SOLUTIONS on how to deal with Google going all in with mobile.
PROBLEM: Google is released their mobile -friendly algorithm on April 21st. They have been warning everybody since 2013 about this major update. As a business owner you don’t understand the consequences it will have on your business.
SOLUTION: Test to see. If your website is mobile-friendly, great. If your website is not mobile-friendly or you don’t know, you need to find
out ASAP then Click Here to find out. Google also has a Mobile-Friendly Test and some great resources, but if it’s not your cup of tea or you’re not technical then it can be confusing.
PROBLEM: I tested my website and it is not mobile friendly. Now what do I do? SOLUTION: The fastest way to solve this problem is find someone who is versed in either building a new website that is mobile-friendly ,
responsive design or a standalone mobile website. As I am sure you are thinking, this can be a costly and time-consuming venture both of which I don’t have. However, time, money and falling completely off Google search when people search via mobile could be even more costly in the long run.
PROBLEM: My website looks fine on desktop but not mobile. Will searches be changed there and my website not show up if not mobile -friendly?
SOLUTION: This is one good thing: per Google, desktop searches will not be affected. But with more than 60 % of searches taking place on mobile and growing, you can’t rely on it. Update your website or add a mobile version.
In conclusion if you are reading, this you are not alone but you do need to take action. There are DYI lower cost temporary alternatives, which will work for the time being. Here is a link to a an independent comparison website Mobile Website Builder Review . Important to remember: no matter what direction you go in, you need to be focused as a business owner on mobile moving forward. While being an entrepreneur is hard keeping up with technology, online marketing and mobile updates is a daunting task, find someone that you feel comfortable with a get the help you need. George Tsafonias is the CEO and Co-founder of MarketLoyal.com Market Loyal is a digital marketing agency with a focus on helping associations, small businesses, franchises and agencies target prospects and drive clients on a hyperlocal level. He has consulted for some of the world’s top brands such as NASCAR, Hewlett Packard, AT&T and has also worked in the trenches with hundreds of small businesses across the country to create improve their competitive edge within their local markets. George Tsafonias | Info@MarketLoyal.com | 877-959-1260 | MarketLoyal.com Facebook – www.facebook.com/marketloyal Twitter – @MarketLoyal LinkedIn – www.linkedin.com/georgetsafonias
Personal Chef | 33
Left to Right: Quail Leg Confit (not Polina’s quails), Beet Pickled Quail Eggs, Seasoned Salts
Cooking From Russia to the USA – An Interview with Chef Polina Antonova The USPCA has attracted members from all walks of life and from many distant places. This article is about our fellow USPCA member Chef Polina Antonova, of Caliblini Personal Chef Service http://www.caliblini.com, who comes from Russia and now resides in the San Francisco Bay Area. Recently, Polina hosted the Local Bay Area Chapter meeting and we had the distinct pleasure of enjoying her fine cuisine which included quail leg confit, pickled quail eggs from her domesticated quails, infused vodkas, handmade cheeses, home made pastas and fresh grilled rabbit that we picked up at the local Marin Farmer’s Market. Let’s discover how Polina’s Russian upbringing has influenced her work as a Personal Chef and what makes her tick cooking wise. How Has Your Russian Background Influenced Your Cooking Style? My Russian Grandmother taught me how to cook. She grew up in the countryside during the very lean and difficult 1920’s and 1930’s, so respect for the ingredients, using what’s available, growing her own food, foraging, and making everything from scratch were natural for her. I grew up cooking and eating traditional Russian food. My Grandmother made use of whatever we could get in those difficult
34 | Personal Chef
years. In summer we ate from our kitchen garden. In winter, we had jars of homemade preserves and barrels of pickled vegetables and mushrooms that we would combine with whatever meats Grandma could find to make hearty, healthy meals. We foraged for wild mushrooms and hazelnuts in fall, and gather young nettles for soup in spring. I grew up in the 1970’s Soviet Union, where no one went hungry, but there were food shortages, so we used what was available, and did our best to grow or forage our own food, and preserve it for the winter. I didn’t have to break myself out of the habit of making soup from canned chicken stock or using canned cream of mushroom soup as an ingredient. When I was learning to cook, there were no canned goods used in my family meals, only fresh ingredients that we either used in that day’s cooking or we preserved it for a long shelf life during the harsh winter months. What Are Some Of Your Favorite Russian Dishes? Pelmeni is my favorite Russian meal. It’s a “tortellini meet wonton” or dumpling, filled with assorted meats and/or mushrooms. As a child, during winter, my family would spend the afternoon before New Year’s Eve making Pelmeni. In Siberia, they make Pelmeni with all types of filling: mushrooms, potatoes, cabbage, grains, fish, meat, poultry, or any combination. In Moscow, where I grew up, Pelmeni were always filled with mixed meats, and seasoned with salt, pepper, and minced onion. The traditional meet stuffing was half ground beef (not too lean) and half pork. Whenever we had venison, we would always mix ground venison into the Pelmeni filling (1/3 beef, 1/3 pork, 1/3
venison). Mom made the filling, dad rolled out the dough, and we all shaped. The first hundred or so Pelmeni would go on our holiday table, the rest were frozen on all available surfaces including our outdoor balcony, for winter dinners to come. If the temperatures stayed consistently below freezing for 3-4 months, we’d make a few hundred pot-stickers, put them in a bag, and hang it outside our kitchen window, to be cooked as needed. During the Holidays we would put a whole peppercorn into one of the dumplings. The lucky recipient could make a wish that would come true in the New Year. Although I don’t cook a lot of Russian or Eastern European food in California, even for my Russian clients - the ingredients and the lifestyle are too different - I do have a few winter favorites that I make, mostly on our ski trips to Tahoe. There is much more to Russian cuisine than Stroganoff and Borscht. As mentioned earlier, I love making Pelmeni, all kinds of savory pies and pasties, cabbage rolls, hearty winter salads of cooked root vegetables and pickles, selyankas - big one-dish meal soups based on either meat or fish and adorned with pickles; springtime soups with sorrel or nettles and a garnish of chopped hard-boiled egg and sour cream. I think of myself as the biggest promoter of buckwheat, millet, and roasted beets in the Bay Area. I am also a big fan of the cuisines from neighboring countries that are very popular in Russia. For example, Georgia (known for spring lamb or sturgeon kabobs; beautiful bean dishes that include walnuts and lots of herbs; serving plates of whole fresh herbs - parsley, dill, cilantro, green onions - as a condiment at the table - you wrap them in a flatbread and eat with anything; hot, and sour sauces based on unripe fruits; meat and rice dolmas) and of Central Asian states (famous for
elaborate spicy rice dishes with meat, tons of onions and garlic, and sometimes fruits; fried hand pies; tiny vegetables stuffed with spiced rice and/or meat) What’s In Your Garden? Anything the gophers don’t eat. This includes, grapes, figs, lemons, oranges, mandarins, pomegranates, alpine strawberries; herbs: rosemary, oregano, mint, thyme, sage, parsley, tarragon, chives, chervil, savory, borage, lemon balm, verbena, lavender, bay, kaffir lime, lemongrass, sorrel, horseradish; garlic and fava beans; tomatoes, onions, carrots, shallots, beans, fingerling potatoes, and peppers. I don’t grow enough fruits and vegetables to use for my clients on cook dates, they are mostly for myself, my friends, and the seasonal inspiration. I rarely have to buy lemons and herbs, though. Why Do You Keep Domestic Quails? I would gladly surrender to the modern trend of keeping backyard chickens. Some of my clients and neighbors keep chickens and get fresh eggs every day. When I cook for them, I always save vegetable trimmings that I give as treats to the chickens. My own backyard is too small for chickens, so I got quails. They take much less space and are easier to care for than chickens, and they lay
Grilled Rabbit, Asparagus, Portobello Mushrooms and Lemons from Marin Famer’s Market
Personal Chef | 35
their tiny eggs every day. The eggs are a pain to peel, but they are very tasty, nutritious, are salmonella-resistant, kids love them because they are kid-size, and they make a great presentation at dinner parties. My cooking class students never fail to fall in love with the quails; one of them already acquired some that he keeps in his tiny San Francisco backyard, another one is looking to get hers. My only problem with the quails is that I miscalculated and started out with too many birds (20), so now I get more eggs then I can handle. I am always looking for new ideas for using eggs.
Polina’s Domestic Quail How Polina Uses Her Pickled Veggies and Infused Vodkas & Vinegars During our Chapter meeting we all helped Polina prep the veggies and fresh rabbit for the grill. While we worked together, one couldn’t help noticing Polina’ is well stocked kitchen, with vast amounts of pickling jars that contained quail eggs, fava beans, green beans and carrots. There were lots of infused vinegars & vodkas too made with rosemary, lemon rinds, shallots and peppers, all from her garden. It was like a glass menagerie of all things picked and infused. Polina’s vodka infusions are used the same way as any liqueur, for cocktails and to carry flavor into marinades, sauces, and baked goods. Polina uses all fresh herbs from the bounty of her garden to season the meals she prepares for her clients too. What Motivated You To Become a Personal Chef? Cooking is my passion, and I believe that home cooked meals make the whole world of difference for my clients’ quality of life. With food, like with almost any other product that you use, there is a big difference between something made specifically for you and something made “for the market”. This is why home cooked meals will always be superior to restaurant, takeout, or other mass-produced meals. I want more people to experience this.
Left to Right: Quail eggs pickled with smoked paprika, cauliflower and carrot refrigerator pickles, rosemary, thyme, and pink peppercorn vodka infusion (a favorite of my Russian male friends: they drink it straight as shots, no sugar added), lemon and orange infusion, marinated gigantes beans and fire-roasted peppers
What Do You Like Best About Being a Personal Chef? It’s the creativity of the process, the variety of the work, and, of course, being able to make people happy, even if only at dinnertime that I like best. And I get to share the bounties of my garden with my clients! Like many of my fellow USPCA members, I am an escapee from the corporate wonderland. Working as a Personal Chef, I get the instant gratification of seeing the beautiful product made by hand and then seeing the clients enjoy what I made (or, more often, getting a message about how good the food is in the evening - I don’t get to see my clients enjoying my meals too often). This is Priceless. Doing what I like to do for a living makes me happy. How Has Being A USPCA Chapter Member Impacted Your PC Business? Joining the USPCA was one of the first steps in starting my business. In fact, the biggest challenge for me was to convince myself that someone would actually pay me to cook for them in their kitchen. I never looked at cooking as work, but rather a fun activity and quality time, and it was psychologically difficult to believe that there was a market out there for home cooking, although rationally I knew that there was. Seeing my fellow USPCA members growing successful businesses cooking for their clients was very motivating. Being a member of the USPCA San Francisco Bay Area Chapter has also been very helpful in terms of discussing best business practices with them in the startup phase, and I am still learning a lot. Chef Garbo is my favorite mentor in all things marketing; other members share a lot of useful tips, from food storage to dealing with difficult clients to sources for ingredients and containers. And the best part of being a Chapter member is that we exchange referrals which helps to grow one’s business. Thus ended my conversation with Chef Polina Antonova. It is clear that Polina, like her vinegars and vodkas, has infused her Russian background of foraging for the best local ingredients into her unique California cuisine. And nothing demonstrates that better than her below recipe creations. Take a look and enjoy! Article and photos by Chef Claude Garbarino
36 | Personal Chef
Polina’s Handcrafted Recipes Beet Pickled Quail Eggs Makes 30 1 large purple beet root, peeled, quartered 1 cup water 1 cup white wine vinegar 1 Tbsp salt 1 bay leaf 2 sprigs thyme 5 whole black peppercorns 1 clove 2 juniper berries 1 pinch red chili pepper flakes (optional) 30 quail eggs For the marinade: Cook the beet root in a small amount of water until very tender. Puree in blender, adding some of the cooking water, as needed. In a small pot, combine 1 cup water, 1 cup vinegar, salt, bay, thyme, peppercorns, clove, juniper, and chili flakes (if using). Bring to a boil, stir to dissolve the salt, let cool. Stir in the beet puree. For the eggs: Fill a kitchen sink or a large bowl with ice water. Bring a small pot of water to a boil, add quail eggs, stir, cook 4 minutes. Remove the eggs to the ice water, let cool, crack, peel under water, starting at the dull end. Make sure to remove the tough membrane together with the shell. Put peeled quail eggs in a jar, cover with the marinade, refrigerate for 3 days and up to 2 weeks. Serve on salads or as an appetizer.
Saffron Aioli (to accompany grilled quail & pickled eggs) Makes 2 cups 1 generous pinch saffron 2 Tbsp water 2 large garlic cloves, chopped 6 quail eggs 1-1/2 cup avocado oil Salt, pepper Juice of 1/2 lemon (optional) Combine saffron with water, let infuse for a few minutes. Put saffron water, garlic, and quail eggs in a blender, blend until smooth. With the blender running on low, slowly pour in avocado oil. Season with salt, pepper, and, if desired, lemon juice. Serve with French fries, cold meat, fish, or vegetable dishes, or just about anything. Homemade White or Red Wine Vinegar For the complete recipe, please find it on Polina’s Blog here: http://caliblini.com/blog/business/homemade-white-or-red-winevinegar/
Grilled Quail Serves 4 as an appetizer or a light main course. For a more substantial main dish, allow two birds per person. 4 quails, about 6 ounces each, cleaned, skin on 1 clove garlic, minced 2 sprigs thyme, leaves only, lightly crushed 2 Tbsp olive oil Salt, pepper Lemon slices for serving Prepare the quails for the grill: remove the backbone and neck by cutting through the bird on both sides of the backbone with kitchen scissors (save the bones for making stock). Open up the bird and press with your palm to flatten. Rub with garlic, thyme, olive oil, and generous amounts of salt and pepper. Cover loosely, let sit at room temperature 20-30 minutes, or refrigerate for up to two days. Preheat gas or charcoal grill. Grill the birds over high heat (450 degrees) 2-3 minutes per side, until the thighs are cooked through but still pink at the bone. Serve with lemon slices, or you favorite sauce for game. The quail’s name used to create this recipe was Godfather. He was an aggressive male who terrorized the rest of the flock. He was absolutely delicious grilled, served with mashed sweet potatoes and black beans.
Personal Chef | 37
Make Money with Your Menus – Part I Content Tips from Movable Feast Marketing When your client says, “That menu sounds great,” you know you have closed the sale. But did you use your menu, your best and first line of marketing, to sell the dishes that you enjoy preparing the most and that are also the most profitable to your business? Your menu should be making you more money! Let’s take a look at one of the many important menu content description features. Categories
The most common food categories are breakfast, lunch, and dinner, as well as appetizers, main dishes, and desserts. These categories establish well-known meal boundaries, but they leave a lot behind and frankly are a little bland. Let’s say you are creating a series of new dinner party menus, if you add an extra category course or two or three, or redefine a traditional course, you can increase your sales. Snacks before Appetizers
Consider the scene, guests arrive to your client’s home and you are busy preparing the meal. As in all social situations, some people arrive earlier than others. Perhaps you as the chef are running a little behind – it does happen. But since your client has selected to have snacks available to the early guests, and those who simply can’t wait to taste your amazing food, everyone is happy. What’s the difference between a snack and appetizer? A snack is a delicious taste of something that won’t detract from the appetizer course, which by the way you are still preparing. Maybe it’s wasabipowdered popcorn before an Asian-inspired meal, chili spiced pepitas before a Mexican meal, deviled quail eggs, miniature cubes of cheese or olives. The creativity is yours, just keep it small and market it as something to accompany drinks as the guests arrive. Here are some additional category items to get your foodie juices flowing. • • • • • • •
Instead of combining salads with appetizers or starters, make it a separate delicious sounding category – seasonal greens, farmer’s market salad, dinner salads Divide your mains into sub categories. From the farm - Poultry, Meats - from the field Pasta, Vegetarian Add a pause or palate cleanser course – a spoonful of sorbet, cold soup, pickled vegetable Take advantage of special diets with lighter dishes, dishes made without gluten Create seasonal menus and highlight what’s best in the market Offer a cheese course before dessert or instead of dessert Create an edible souvenir – cake pops to go anyone?
Having additional categories allows you to showcase your creativity and skills. Here’s an idea of how to build categories into your own menus that go beyond the traditional appetizers, mains, and desserts.
38 | Personal Chef
Summer Splendor Menu
Snacks
with Expanded Categories
Strawberries with balsamic vinegar Fried olives Hot-spiced nuts
Roasted farmer’s market heirloom tomato Curried zucchini White bean and kale
Classic Caesar with Parmesan crisp Roasted beet and feta salad Field greens with berries and champagne dressing
(Single servings, combine more than one) – nice little upsell here! Pasta primavera with market variety vegetables Butternut squash ravioli Kale pesto farfalle
Served with homemade crackers and fresh fruit Choose a selection of at least 3 – nice little upsell here Farmhouse cheddar Humboldt Fog Locally made herbed chevre
Summer Inspired Soups Summer Greens
Lighter Summer Pasta
The Cheese Stands Alone
So Glad you Could Make it
Sweet treats to go Waffles dipped in chocolate Oversized decorated sugar cookies A trio of chocolates Consider creating signature categories for the events you cook the most – Sunday Supper Sides, Guilt-Free Desserts, The Kids will Love It Dinners. Food is a true sensory pleasure, having a personal chef cook for you is icing on the cake – hey, how about a mix-it -up and create your own cake and icing category? Do you have a category idea or tip that you’ve tried. We’d love to hear from you! Looking for more menu marketing tips? Visit Sharon and Robbie online at Movable Feast Marketing, www.movablefeastmarketing.com
Personal Chef | 39
Designations: What They Are and What They Mean Designations, and in particular those having to do with seniors, have come under scrutiny in recent years. So exactly what are designations? And how are they similar or different from licenses, certifications, certificates, and accreditations? This article explores designations and their meanings to help professionals understand what the CSA designation signifies, and what it does not. A number of factors influence the development of designations. Included among these are the facts that today’s workers need to continually acquire new skills; a lack of trust exists in the training and education of workers and professionals; the public needs protection from harm caused by unscrupulous or incompetent professionals; and a need exists to differentiate among professionals in terms of quality. Each of these influencing factors will be further explored in this article. However, it is important to understand what the various designations are and what they mean. License to Practice The professional license to practice is bestowed upon a professional by a regulatory body (government). It is usually entry-level (minimum competence required to protect the public from harm) and it is mandatory. For example, one cannot open up a medical office and begin working as a physician unless one has first obtained a license to practice medicine. Many CSAs are familiar with regulatory licenses such as insurance agent or nursing licenses. Even if a professional has completed training for the job, that person cannot sell insurance or work as a nurse until he or she first obtains the regulatory license to practice. In licensure, common requirements can include graduation from an appropriate educational/training program, experience, a criminal background check, and an assessment of competence through an examination. Until the governmental regulatory body is convinced that the person has the knowledge and skills to be a competent worker and not harm the public, that person may not work in the profession. Professional Certification At an entirely different level is professional certification. This differs from licensure in the following ways: • Certification is usually controlled by the profession itself, not a governmental regulatory body. • Certification is usually not mandatory to practice. • Certification may be at different levels. It may be at the entry level similar to licensure, but often it is at an advanced level indicating a higher level of expertise and knowledge. For example, a licensed physician might also choose to become a board certified surgeon. The board certification is bestowed upon the physician by a professional organization such as the American Board of Surgery, after the physician demonstrates advanced knowledge and skills in surgery. This demonstration includes meeting the prerequisite requirements, such as education in surgery and experience as a surgeon, as well as passing several examinations that measure the surgeon’s knowledge and skills associated with surgery. Physicians do not have to obtain board certification to practice as surgeons (it was not mandatory to practice) but by obtaining it, they communicate to the public that they have a higher level of expertise in surgery than physicians who do not have a board certification.
40 | Personal Chef
Licensure and certification have common elements. Both are based on an assessment of candidate competence by a governing body (either a governmental body in the case of licensure, or a certification body in the case of certification). Both are designed to communicate information to the consumer, the public, or the employer. • Licensure indicates that the worker/professional has the minimum knowledge and skills to competently perform work without serious risk to public welfare. • Certification means the person has gone above basic requirements and has obtained a credential demonstrating additional knowledge and skills. Most licenses and almost all certifications require renewals, meaning that the license or certification expires after some number of years—usually anywhere from three to seven. The worker/ professional must then provide evidence that he or she continues to have the knowledge and skills to practice competently. Evidence may include continuing education, continued practice in the field, or re-examination. Most certifications and many licenses also require adherence to a code of conduct or a code of ethics. Certification programs are third-party assessments of the knowledge and skills required for competent performance. They are third-party because they are conducted by bodies that do not have a stake in the credentialing outcome of the candidate (for example, they do not employ them). Training and then certifying a candidate by a certification body is considered a conflict of interest. While it is possible for a certification body to also provide training (Society of Certified Senior Advisors provides both the training and the certification), when these two activities are housed within one body, they must be separated physically, administratively, and financially to ensure that the certification program remains confidential and impartial. Ideally, certifications are administered by neutral thirdparty certification bodies that have not trained the candidate or otherwise have an interest in the outcome of the certification. A certification body’s primary responsibility is to measure the candidate’s knowledge and skills, and award the certification to those who demonstrate that they have the knowledge and skills to be competent. Certification creates distinction among professionals. Certification programs develop when there is a need to verify the competence of workers/professionals above the minimum license level. As an example, when a consumer goes to a board certified surgeon, he or she not only is going to a physician who has been licensed to be minimally competent as a physician, but one who has acquired and demonstrated additional knowledge and expertise in surgery. Certificate Programs At another level is the certificate program. A certificate is a credential or designation awarded after a person has completed a training or educational program. It is similar to a diploma except that it is not offered after completion of a cadre of courses such as what one obtains in a community college or university. Certificate programs are generally courses focused on a single topic and not broad-based general education. Certificate programs may include an examination. However, the difference between the examination offered by a certificate program and one offered by a certification body (certification) or regulatory body (licensure) is that the examination given during the certificate program is based on the course content, and is designed to verify that the candidate learned the content during the course. The examination given by a certification/ regulatory body is not based on any particular training content. Instead, it is based on the job tasks that the certified/ licensed person will have to perform as a professional, and the knowledge and skills needed to perform those tasks.
Certificates, like diplomas, are awarded for life and cannot be taken away. They say nothing about the continued competence of the person, or even the initial competence of the person, just that the person successfully completed the program and learned the content presented in the program. Unlike certificates, certification cannot be awarded for life. A certification must be renewed to remain valid. Certified Senior Advisor (CSA) The Certified Senior Advisor (CSA) is a competency-based certification awarded by a certification body (the Society of Certified Senior Advisors). Additionally, the Society of Certified Senior Advisors (SCSA) offers a training course designed to prepare a candidate to sit for the examination. The training program offered by SCSA is similar to a certificate program. However, SCSA currently does not award a “certificate” to those who complete the program. Not everyone who completes the SCSA training program intends to obtain certification. For some, the training alone is sufficient for their specific needs. Others seek the certification and use of the CSA designation, which entails passing the examination, meeting additional eligibility requirements including passing a background check, completing an ethics course, upholding the Code of Ethics, and renewing the certification every three years after completing continuing education. Every three years, CSAs must complete recertification requirements to maintain their certification, thus ensuring that CSAs continue to meet the competency requirements. Certification provides greater assurances and a measure of accountability to consumers and the public. How Did Such a Complex System of Designations Develop? During the early 1900s, it became apparent that relying on education alone as a measure of professional competence didn’t always work. Prior to regulation, graduation from a law school or medical school was enough to allow one to set up a law or medical practice. In order to standardize the health care professions and fees associated with medical care, states started regulating medical and legal professionals. Thus the world of licensure was born. Between 1910 and 1920, approximately one hundred and thirty laws were passed regulating fourteen health-related professions (Shimberg, 1982, p. 7). These laws identified the entry requirements, practice standards, and codes of conduct developed by the medical societies, and vested regulatory power in boards made up of professionals (in this case, physicians). By the 1980s, a U.S. Department of Labor study reported that more than eight hundred occupations and professions were regulated by state laws (Shimberg, 1982, p.7). Licensure has become an effective way to protect the public from harm by ensuring that a professional is competent to practice. Governmental regulatory bodies see it as their responsibility to protect the unsuspecting public from unscrupulous or incompetent professionals, and to make sure that professionals remain competent. The licensure system is widely in place today in the United States, and most states have some sort of regulatory agency that oversees specific professions. Lifelong Learning There was a time when a person would go to school and learn a skill that would prepare him or her for a lifetime of work. These skills could be earned at a vocational school, private training facility, on the job, or at a university. The graduate would then enter the world of work until retirement. Times have changed. No longer do workers typically hold the same job for life. Today, they are likely to change employment several times during their careers. They will be multi-skilled, lifelong learners, constantly acquiring new competencies to meet the needs of a rapidly changing job market. Employers need ways of ensuring that the workforce they hire is competent and equipped with the necessary skills. Hiring workers with an appropriate certification or license is one way of ensuring competence. Many workers go back to school to obtain new knowledge and learn
new skills. However, seat time in a course or training program is no guarantee that the student has actually learned anything. We are all familiar with the individuals who slept their way through college courses and in the end learned little. So while there is importance and value in lifelong learning, it is really the outcomes of that learning (the obtained knowledge and skills) that are of greatest interest to employers and the public. Licensing and certification are competencybased indicators that ensure that the candidate has acquired the requisite knowledge and skills. Self-Regulation As professions mature, they frequently develop professional certification programs and regulate themselves. Perhaps spurred by the proliferation of IT certifications (for example, Oracle-, Cisco-, Microsoft-certified), professions view the development of certification programs as a means of asserting occupational jurisdiction over a defined body of knowledge, and assuming responsibility for those who hold the certification. Certification programs elevate the profession and differentiate it from similar professions. As professional societies and certification bodies grow, they usually contribute further to the industry through sponsored research, professional journals, annual conferences, scholarships, and other awards. Thus, the more mature a profession, the more likely it will have created a professional society or body that has developed a selfregulating certification program. However, the growth in certifications has led to a number of meaningless programs that fail to adequately verify competency before awarding certification. Therefore, “buyer beware.” It is hard for the public to tell the difference between a real, valid certification program and a meaningless one, just as it is hard to tell a real university diploma from a fake diploma mill. This problem has grown in recent years. Enter Accreditation Accreditation is third-party verification that a certification body and its certification program have met defined standards. In the United States, there are two well-known accrediting bodies for professional certification bodies. They are the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA), a division of the Institute for Credentialing Excellence (ICE), which accredits against the National Commission for Certifying Agencies Standards for the Accreditation of Certification, and the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) which accredits against an ISO standard, ISO/IEC 17024 Conformity assessment— General requirements for bodies operating certification of persons. Both standards describe the minimum requirements that a certification body must meet, and the process requirements that must be included in the development and maintenance of a certification program. These accrediting bodies evaluate a certification body and program by reviewing all documents, policies, and procedures used to develop and maintain the program. They review the program annually to make sure it remains compliant with the accreditation standards. SCSA has willingly had its CSA program accredited by NCCA, an independent third-party. NCCA accreditation verifies that the CSA designation has been developed according to NCCA standards, and that the society and program are operated in a manner that assures that the designation continues to be meaningful, relevant, and current. So What about the CSA Designation? The CSA designation is a certification that measures knowledge of the aging process. This includes the social, spiritual, financial, and health issues facing seniors. By itself, the CSA does not make anyone an expert in any specific profession. Instead, it is designed to help professionals already working with older adults enhance their knowledge of the aging process. There is an expectation that
Personal Chef | 41
those who obtain the CSA designation already have the appropriate education, training, licenses, and certifications to practice in their professions. Obtaining the CSA designation signals that the professional has additional knowledge and skills to better understand the key issues that seniors face as they age. Additionally, the CSA has a community of other experts to reach out to for expertise in specific areas. One of the biggest misconceptions about the CSA designation is that it is a financial credential, perhaps because it was initially sought by financial professionals. However, the CSA is a generalist certification designed to signify that the certified person has advanced knowledge about a number of broader-based, aging-related issues. For example, a CSA who does not hold appropriate financial licenses is not an expert in senior financial issues. The CSA designation does not permit one to sell insurance, sell securities, or provide financial advice to anyone (including seniors) any more than it permits one to assess the physical health of a senior the way a physician would. One must hold the appropriate professional licensure or credential to operate in their profession. The CSA designation is not designed to make someone an expert in any one field. Instead, it demonstrates that the professional has gained the knowledge about aging required to work with seniors. Conclusions Licenses, certifications, and certificates are all designations with unique characteristics. The CSA is a certification designation. It is not a professional license to practice, nor is it a certificate issued to document attendance at a training program. Instead, it is acknowledgement that the professional holding it has advanced knowledge about aging issues and has demonstrated a commitment to maintaining competence. This article is reprinted from CSA Journal 55 Summer 2013. Cynthia D. Woodley, Ed.D. is a psychometrician and Chief Operations Officer of Professional Testing Inc. Her expertise includes the development of personnel certification programs to meet accreditation requirements including job/task analyses, development of assessments, and development of governance policies and procedures surrounding these programs. Contact her at cdwoodley@proftesting.com. ■ Reference Shimberg, Benjamin. 1982. Occupational Licensing: A public perspective. Princeton, NJ: Educational Testing Service. Governmental regulatory bodies see it as their responsibility to protect the unsuspecting public from unscrupulous or incompetent professionals, and to make sure that professionals remain competent.
Philly Chapter’s Latin Themed Collaborative Dinner We love getting together and eating! So, on Saturday, May 16th our Philly Chapter decided to combine our meeting with a Latin Themed Collaborative Dinner which our chapter secretary, Chris Welsh hosted in her lovely home. The evening kicked off with three different kinds of flatbreads by Kathy Carlino. One with caramelized onions and sausage, another with sautéed spinach, pine nuts and golden raisins and a third with roasted peppers and garlic; wonderful combinations of flavors and textures. There was also an assortment of Spanish cheeses with accoutrements from Missy Gurmankin, pincho inspired Basque mushroom conserva with toasts from Chris and plenty of Spanish wine. We then moved on to our first of three amuse bouche from our queen of amuse, Adela Flynn. This was a pristine slice of apple topped with a wonderful sundried tomato and olive tapenade. Next was a traditional tortilla Espanola with roasted pepper puree by Missy. Then another amuse bouche from Adela, of fresh Spring pea puree with tarragon foam. The centerpiece of the meal was that classic of all Spanish dishes, paella prepared by our host Chris. This one boasted Chilean sea bass, baby clams, scallops, mussels, spicy chorizo atop perfectly cooked saffron scented rice. To accompany our paella, was a lovely asparagus salad with sweet drop Peruvian peppers and capers from Karen Docimo and a simply dressed green salad fresh from Kathy’s garden with a citrus vinaigrette. Adela’s final amuse bouche was a single slice of smoky chorizo sausage atop a tomato, red pepper sauce and garbanzo beans served in a tasting spoon. Simply delicious. We always welcome our past members to join us at our dinners and we were so happy to have Marianne Cozzolino there with us as well. She offered a palate cleanser of fresh mango sorbetto from her wonderful gelato business, Jenny and Frank’s Artisan Gelato. Our collaborative dinners would never be complete without an amazing dessert from our pastry chef extraordinaire, Lynn Lindquist. She prepared what we all agreed was the most perfect vanilla, cinnamon flan we ever experienced. As wonderful as this menu was, the real highlight of the evening was being together and sharing what we love the most – good food and friendship! A few of the recipes are shared on the next page. Melissa Gurmankin – Philadelphia Chapter President More Thyme For You Philadelphia, PA
42 | Personal Chef
Vegetable Flat Bread Topping
Pre heat oven to 500 degrees or grill to high. Bake the dough on a baking sheet turning once. 5 minutes per side. Next, bake the bread on the oven rack another 2-3 minutes per side, until the bread is nice and crunchy. Let the bread cool completely before adding any toppings.
¾ pound Halibut steak or other similar fish Coarse salt 4 ¾ pound small shrimp, in their shells 7 cups water 3 /4 pound whiting, cleaned, head on 1 bay leaf ½ teaspoon thyme 2 sprigs parsley 1 small onion, peeled 1/2 cup olive oil 2 lobsters, 1 ¼ -1 ½ pounds each, split lengthwise (optional) 3 medium squid, cleaned and cut in rings 1 medium onion, chopped 1 medium tomato, skinned and chopped 3 cups short-grain rice 1/4 cup peas ¼ teaspoon saffron, crumbled 2 cloves garlic, crushed 2 pimientos, homemade or imported, cut in strips 18 small mussels 2 tablespoons minced parsley for garnish Lemon wedges for garnish
When toppings are all ready and bread is completely cool add topping and bake in 400 degree oven about 10-15 minutes. Cut and enjoy.
Skin and bone the halibut, then cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes. Reserve the scraps.
1 each red and yellow bell pepper, cored, seeded, and cut into 1/4 inch strips. 5 cloves garlic, thinly sliced 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano olive oil Salt to taste Mix the peppers, garlic, oregano, olive oil, and salt together and let sit for about 1/2 hour. Flatbread preparation Using 1 pound of store bought pizza dough will make two long thin 18”x6” flat breads each.
Sausage Flat Bread Topping 1 pound longaniza or sweet Italian sausage 3 large Spanish onions, sliced 1/2 inch thick fresh ground Spinach with Pine Nuts and Raisins Flat Bread Topping 1/4 C Raisins 3 Tablespoons olive oil 4 garlic cloves, Sliced 1/4 C pine nuts 4 pounds spinach or two 10 oz bag washed and dried 1-2 dashes of sherry vinegar fine sea salt or kosher salt Fresh ground pepper to taste 1.In a small bowl, pour enough hot water over the raisins to cover. Let them set for about 20 minutes to plump. Drain 2. Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add garlic and pine nuts, cook and stir until pine nuts start to get color. Start adding spinach. As it wilts add more until all has been added and still bright green. Add raisins, vinegar, salt and pepper. Top your already made flat bread, cut and serve. All recipes are from Daisy Cooks by Daisy Martinez
Paella Marinera
Sprinkle the halibut pieces with coarse salt and let sit until ready to use. Shell the shrimp and reserve the shells. In a large pot place 7 cups water, the reserved shrimp shells, the halibut scraps, whiting, bay leaf, thyme, parsley sprigs, salt, and the peeled onion. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer 1 hour. Strain and reserve 6 cups of the broth. Flake the whiting, removing the skin and bond, and add this fish to the broth**. Heat the oil in a metal paella pan with about a 15-inch base and sauté the shrimp and lobster until they turn pink (leave the lobster a little longer than the shrimp). Remove. Add the halibut pieces to the pan and sauté a minute. Remove. In the remaining oil, sauté the squid rings quickly, then add the chopped onion and cook until it is wilted. Add the tomato and cook a minute or two until most of the tomato liquid has evaporated. Stir in the rice and coat well with the oil. Pour in the reserved fish broth, boiling hot, the peas, saffron, and salt. Boil, uncovered and stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes, or until the rice is no longer soupy but some liquid remains. Add the crushed garlic and stir in the shrimp, the halibut pieces, and the pimiento strips. Arrange the lobster on top and push the mussels into the rice. Place in a 325° F oven, uncovered, for 15-20 minutes, or until the liquid is absorbed but the rice is not quite done. Remove, cover lightly with foil, and let sit 10 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley and garnish with lemon wedges. **You may substitute with purchased seafood stock Source: Foods and Wines of Spain by Penelope Casas
Seafood Paella Serves 6-8 VARY this recipe as you wish—the shellfish may be eliminated, other fish added. Just be sure to keep the basic proportions the same.
Personal Chef | 43
7680 Universal Blvd. Ste 550 Orlando, FL 32819
44 | Personal Chef