Personal Chef Magazine - Spring 2017 by USPCA

PERSONAL CHEF MAGAZINE SPRING 2017 $19.95

MEMBER RECIPES p.32 • Feijoada • Fish Tacos • Roasted Gulf Grouper • Zucchini Fritters ...and many more! Customer Retention Strategies p.28 Little Known Tax Tips p.23

Boost Your Business on Instagram p.24

2017 Food Trends p.6 Personal Cheffing in the Dead Zone p.10

Deb Cantrell Wins Website of the Year p.18

Laura MacDougall Chapter President

NEW ENGLAND

CHAPTER OF THE YEAR P R O V I D E D

B Y

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

Membership Milestones ....................................................4 2017 Food Trends ...............................................................6 Start a Healthy Diet in 2017 ...............................................8 Introducing the Personal Chef Institute............................9 Personal Cheffing in a Dead Zone.....................................10 Why Some Clients Fall in Love and Others Cancel ...........12 Sharing my Cultural Roots -- One Party at a Time!...........15 Are You Caught in a Pleasure Trap?...................................16 Chef Deb Cantrell Wins Website of the Year ....................18 New England Wins Chapter of the Year ...........................20 How to File Federal Income Taxes for Small Businesses .22 Little-Known Tax Tips For Small-Business Owners .........23 5 (New) Ways to Boost Your Business on Instagram .......24 Cooking for Caregivers: A 2016 Snapshot...........................26 Networking for Chefs: Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a Piece of Cake! ......................26 Salmon: Making a Healthy Decision ................................27 4 Valuable Customer Retention Strategies ........................28 Volunteering: Who is the Real Winner? .............................30 The Mysterious Underworld of the Monterey Bay Abalone Farm ....31

Member Recipes ................................................................32

President Laura MacDougall and The New England Chapter won Chapter of the Year after nationwide voting by USPCA members.

PERSONAL CHEF

SPRING 2017

Personal Chef Magazine 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 Magazine 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, Suite 550 Orlando, FL 32819 or info@uspca.com

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Production Director: Editing, Layout & Design: Advertising:

Larry Lynch Dan Chancellor Robert Lynch

FROM THE PRESIDENT’S DESK One of the principles we taught at Disney Institute that has stuck with me all these years is a very simple term: “Everything Speaks.” When I used to do media interviews and public presentations, it was usually the one area where I focused as it is of the easiest way to get people to understand that its not the one thing that you do well that makes you a success; rather it is the collective activities both conscious and unconscious in the minds of buyers that truly defines how well you will do. One example I always gave was the experience of going to the doctor’s office. You set a specific time for your appointment, arrive on time, then wait far beyond your scheduled arrival. Granted, often times in the medical field things happen, but you sit there hoping that the doctor will give you as much time as he/she has give the prior patients. Of course, while you’re sitting there, you’re glancing at months-old issues of Time Magazine and looking at plants that are either plastic or in dire need of life-saving attention. Individually, none of those may be enough to make you select another doctor. But collectively (and this often happens in the subconscious), you begin to wonder if the doctor isn’t one time, does he/she care – especially if you don’t get the attention once you’re in the exam room; if the magazines aren’t new, how “up to date” IS this doctor in their education and office operation; or worst of all, if they can’t keep their plants alive, then can they keep ME alive?!

It is certainly an extreme point of view but you should get the idea…it’s the attention to the little details that makes a difference in your business. Cooking a great meal is vital. But all the little pieces – where you shop, how you dress, how you communicate, the experience in the customer’s home, how and when you invoice – this and more all combine to drive those memes in your customers head that make the different in hiring you again and recommending you to friends and family.

ASSOCIATION

LARRY LYNCH President, USPCA

This month’s magazine features some of our 2016 winners – Chapter of the Year, Website of the Year and Photo of the Year. In each of these cases the winners pushed the envelope to deliver a broad message through action (chapters) and visuals (website and photo). They’re good examples of the kind of attention to detail that makes a difference and helps you get and keep business. Because EVERYTHING SPEAKS.

Personal Chef | 3

MEMBERSHIP MILESTONES 15 YEARS

Cheryl Bowman CPC, Arcadia, FL Angela Anderson, Centre Hall, PA James Coffey, Harrison, NY Donell Turner, Puyallup, WA Elizabeth Bourget, Scotts Valley, CA Leslie Krone, Smyrna, GA Jonathan Taube CPC, White Plains, NY

10 YEARS

Briana Goodall, CPC, Fort Collins, CO Darnell Harness, Henderson, NV Jim Dower, Lincoln, RI Paula Lemay CPC, Milton, MA Lynn Samuels, San Rafael, CA Allison Hodges, West Hollywood, CA

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5 YEARS

Dania Gold Namdar, Brooklyn, NY Cameron Kenne , Broomfield, CO Elyse Prince, Caldwell, NJ Stephanie Jensen CPC, Chicago IL Kanella Thomas, Manassas, VA Laurie Allmenger, Naples, FL Maggie Lawson, Oakland, CA Debra Desautels, Pittsburgh, PA Lara Moritz, Providence, RI Catherine Richey CPC, San Antonio, TX Mary Giusti, South Lake Tahoe, CA Donna McCormack, Suwanee, GA

3 YEARS

Ken Mertes, Carol Stream, IL Judy Van Amerongen, Claresholm, AB Kenneth Wilson, Dallas, TX Charles Stober, Lafayette, CO Elizabeth Link, Soquel, CA

NEW CERTIFIED PERSONAL CHEFS Deborah Fernandez, Providence, RI Norbert Klotz, Providence, RI VahÃ© Mekhitarian, Wilmette, IL Lara Moritz, Providence, RI Beverly Pruden, Tucson, AZ Paola Santagati, Windermere, FL

NEW MEMBERS Alison Adair, Seattle, WA Jeffrey Anderson, Madison, AL Brenda Backal, West Hills, CA Elyse Bekins, Oakland, CA Angelo Bersani, Orlando, FL Noreen Biegalski, Lindenhurst, IL Elise Bittner, Chicago, IL Karen Bosse, Cary, NC Cheryl Bowman, Aurora, IL Jaronda Braithwaite, Antioch, TN Celestina Brunetti, North Las Vegas, NV Jo Ann Bruscella, Atlanta, GA Jessica Byers, Melrose Park, PA Nichole Cancellare, Columbus, MS Tesia Cannella, Boca Raton, FL Paul Capone, Forest Hills, NY Dan Carnes, Hoffman Estates, IL Christopher Chisholm, Denver, CO Charles Colvin, Riverside, IL Hannah Cook, Seaside, CA Dana Cranfill, Ft Worth, TX Shea Crawford, Yonkers, NY Nichole Daniello, New York, NY Megan Davies, Seattle, WA Thad Davis, Alpharetta, GA Kaiheem Emery, East Rutherford, NJ Laurie Fabian, Syracuse, NY Lauren Fairley, Austin, TX Elizabeth Fritzler, Lakewood, CO Jennifer Fuller, Raleigh, NC Kathy Gadalinski, Chicago, IL Kristen Genton, Falls Church, VA Dan Gottneid, Lindsborg, KS Dana Granfill, Ft. Worth, TX Marwan Green, Hayward, CA Leslie Guria, Long Grove, IL Larry Hamilton, Washington, DC Gianna Hoban, Stow, MA Doris Hoel, Fountain Hills, AZ Gail Hooks, Lorton, VA Nichole Jones, Newmarket, NH Merinda Kasewurm, Stevensville, MI Kristin Koziara, Portland, OR Lettie Lavallee, Arnold, MD Deirdre Lawe, Stow, MA Donna Londot, Phoenix, AZ Coretta Lott, Jonesboro, GA Jennifer Lucas, Sterling, VA

Aakruti Mahendra, Chicago, IL Rachel Miller, Union, NJ Jamaal Morgan, Montrose, CA Tonya Morris, Douglasville, GA Darryl Munden, Williamsburg, VA Claire Niland, Bellingham, WA Michael Nodine, Linden, NJ Stephen Ollard, Mt Pleasant, SC Jeffrey Page, Orlando, FL Shelby Parker, Georgetown, KY Joseph Perkins, Randallstown, MD Kelli Peterson, Mt. Pleasant, SC Allyson Porter, Denver, CO Jaimie Pruden, Tucson, AZ Marcia Puc, Naugatuck, CT Kathryn Ravnik, Oakland, CA Davin Rodriguez, Delray Beach, FL Kimberle Rupert, Littleton, CO Lori Sandell, Oakland, NJ Dawn Sargent, Katy, TX Sabina Sexton, Eugene, OR Marla Simon, Denver, CO Michelle Skalka, Decatur, GA Christina Smith, Houston, TX Rick Snipe, Hyattsville, MD Robert Spadoni, Atlanta, GA Marcus Stone, Cypress, TX Erin Susino, Orlando, FL Julie Torres, Columbus, OH RaShell Tucker, Denver, CO Nestor Ulloa, Stamford, CT Kirsten Vieira, Carlsbad, CA Deborah Volluz, Sedro Woolley, WA Christopher Walker, Miami, FL Bryan Wang, Camarillo, CA Daniel Wegrzyn, Chino Hills, CA Emily Wenerstrom, Plain City, OH Ray Willey, Fort Lauderdale, FL Kevin Wittnam, Seattle, WA Lance Wrather, Smyrna, TN Stephen Wright, San Carlos, CA Roy Zettlemoyer, Kempton, PA

NEW STUDENT MEMBERS Catherine Brown, Edgewood, MD Katherine Herer, Brighton, MA Christopher Martel, Atlanta, GA Paris Raymond, Marcus Hook, PA Irbania Tavares, New York, NY

Personal Chef | 5

2017 FOOD TRENDS THE NATIONAL RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION SURVEYED NEARLY 1,300 PROFESSIONAL CHEFS — MEMBERS OF THE AMERICAN CULINARY FEDERATION — ON WHICH FOOD, CUISINES, BEVERAGES AND CULINARY THEMES WILL BE HOT TRENDS ON RESTAURANT MENUS IN THE YEAR AHEAD.

BUSINESS

TOP 10 FOOD TRENDS

1. New cuts of meat 2. Street food-inspired dishes 3. Healthful kids’ meals 4. House-made charcuterie 5. Sustainable seafood 6. Ethnic-inspired breakfast items 7. House-made condiments 8. Authentic ethnic cuisine 9. Heirloom fruits and vegetables 10. African flavors HEATING UP • Poke • House-made charcuterie • Street food-inspired dishes • Food halls • Ramen • Breakfast burritos/tacos • House-made condiments • Lumberjack breakfast/fry-up

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TOP 10 CONCEPT TRENDS

1. Hyper-local sourcing 2. Chef-driven fast-casual concepts 3. Natural ingredients/clean menus 4. Environmental sustainability 5. Locally sourced produce 6. Locally sourced meat and seafood 7. Food waste reduction 8. Meal kits 9. Simplicity/back to basics 10. NutritionGer apertemor COOLING DOWN • Quinoa • Sodium-conscious cuisine • Black/forbidden rice • Vegetarian cuisine • Vegan cuisine • Locally sourced meat and • Seafood • Ethnic condiments • Ethnic cheeses • Tapas/mezze/dim sum • Food trucks • Non-wheat noodles/pasta • Grass-fed beef • House-made/artisan ice cream • Food-beer pairings • Organic produce • Inexpensive/underused meats • Prepaid tickets • Gelato

TOP TRENDS BY CATEGORY BREAKFAST/BRUNCH 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Ethnic-inspired breakfast items Avocado toast Traditional ethnic breakfast items Overnight oats Breakfast hash

DISHES 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Street food-inspired dishes House-made charcuterie Vegetable carb substitutes Seafood charcuterie Pho

KIDS’ MEALS 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Healthful kids’ meals Whole grain items in kids’ meals Gourmet items in kids’ meals Kids’ entree salads Fruit/vegetable kids’ side items

PRODUCE 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Heirloom fruits and vegetables Unusual/uncommon herbs Hybrid fruits/vegetables Exotic fruit Dark greens

ACCOUTREMENTS 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

House-made condiments Ethnic spices House-made pickles Protein-rich grains/seeds Artisan cheeses

GLOBAL FLAVORS 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Authentic ethnic cuisine African flavors Ethnic fusion cuisine Middle Eastern flavors Latin American flavors

PASTA AND GRAINS 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Ancient grains Non-wheat noodles/pasta Farro Black/forbidden rice Hand-made pasta

PROTEIN 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

New cuts of meat Sustainable seafood House-made sausage Free-range pork/poultry Heritage-breed meats

SWEETS 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

House-made/artisan ice cream Savory desserts Donuts with non-traditional filling Smoked dessert ingredients Bite-size/mini-desserts

For more information about this study, visit www.RESTAURANT.org

Personal Chef | 7

START A HEALTHY DIET IN 2017 WITH ONE VEGETARIAN DINNER A WEEK The start of a new year is a time for resolutions for many people. Exercise and get in shape, spend more time with family and friends, travel to new places, and eat a healthy diet top the list of resolutions after the first of the year. These decisions for self-improvement can quickly be derailed when people aim high and establish goals that are too lofty.

FOOD

As 2017 is ushered in, position yourself for triumph by setting small, specific goals that are more likely to be attainable. Making the all-encompassing decision to “eat a healthy diet” can be overwhelming. Faced with the steps that go along with changing one’s eating habits like menu planning, grocery shopping, preparing unfamiliar recipes, and trying new foods can seem like a daunting task. I suggest adopting a goal that you can easily achieve and set you on the road to a healthier you. A great place to start is to eat at least one vegetarian dinner a week. The options are endless for including a vegetable based dinner in your weekly dinners. Veggie and quinoa burgers, spicy chili loaded with fresh produce and beans, hardy shepherd’s pie filled with lentils and vegetables and topped with mashed cauliflower are just a few ideas to keep eating vegetarian entrees flavorful and interesting. A favorite vegetable based recipe of mine is Roasted Italian Spaghetti Squash with Vegetable Bolognese. The chunky sauce includes a bounty of vegetables including onions, red peppers, carrots, zucchini, and yellow squash. Mushrooms add a savory and meaty quality the dish. A boost of protein is achieved from chickpeas. Traditional Italian ingredients of garlic, crushed tomatoes, oregano, and basil season dish. Roasted spaghetti squash stands in for the conventional pasta. It has a mildly sweet taste like a yellow squash. Roasting the oval squash results in strands have a slight crunch to them. They are an ideal accompaniment to the vegetable sauce as the squash absorbs the flavors of the ingredients. Resolving to eat a healthy diet in 2017 is an attainable goal. Starting with small, manageable healthy eating changes to your diet sets yourself up for success. As each change becomes second nature, add more healthy steps to your new diet in the new year.

ROASTED ITALIAN SPAGHETTI SQUASH WITH VEGETABLE BOLOGNESE Serves 5

INGREDIENTS

for the roasted spaghetti squash ~ 1 (3 pound) spaghetti squash 2 teaspoons olive oil 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning blend (a blend of oregano, thyme, basil) Salt, Pepper

AMY CASEY member since 2009

For the vegetable Bolognese ~ 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 medium yellow onion, diced 2 medium carrots, diced 4 garlic cloves, minced 1 red bell pepper, diced 1 (10-ounce) package cremini mushrooms, cut in quarters 1 small yellow squash, diced 1 small zucchini, diced 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes 1 (15.5-ounce) can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed 1 ½ teaspoons Italian seasoning blend (a blend of oregano, thyme, basil) 1 teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon pepper 6 large fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced

DIRECTIONS

•

• • •

•

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Cut the spaghetti squash in half lengthwise. Scrape out the seeds with a spoon. Drizzle each half of the squash with about 1 teaspoon of olive oil, ½ teaspoon Italian herbs, and season with salt and pepper. Place cut side down on the baking sheet. Roast the squash for 40 – 50 minutes or until the squash gives slightly when pressed with a finger. Using a fork, scrape the strands of squash to form “noodles.” While the spaghetti squash is roasting, prepare the vegetable Bolognese. Heat a large sauté pan over medium high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and heat to a shimmer. Add the onion, carrots, garlic, red peppers, and mushrooms, season lightly with salt and pepper and sauté for 8 to 10 minutes. Add the yellow squash and zucchini and continue sautéing for 5 to 6 minutes. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, chickpeas, 1 ½ teaspoons of Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon of salt and ½ teaspoon of pepper. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in the fresh basil and serve the sauce over the spaghetti squash.

Nutrition information per serving (values are rounded to the nearest whole number): 310 calories; 7 g fat (2 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 0 mg cholesterol; 825 mg sodium; 40 g carbohydrate; 11 g protein; 14 g fiber; 16 g sugars. Amy Casey, of Sparta, is a food columnist for the New Jersey Herald, personal chef, and recipe developer. See more of her recipes on her website www.amycaseycooks.com. Follow her on Facebook at www.facebook.com/amycaseycooks and on Twitter, Snapchat and Instagram at amycaseycooks. Email questions to amy@amycaseycooks.com.

8 | Personal Chef

INTRODUCING THE PERSONAL CHEF INSTITUTE Starting a career as a Personal Chef encompasses many skill sets. The love of cooking is just the beginning. Once you have realized that your passion is providing people with the joy of good food you need to consider the next steps. Who are my clients? What kind of food do I wish to provide? What makes me and my company unique? Where and how will I get clients?... and many more considerations. The To do lists can be dizzying and what about the important things you do not even know that you do not know! If only there was somewhere you could go to have experienced personal chefs help you through the maze of what you need to know to start your career. Well good news! There is! The United States Personal Chef Association is partnering with The Personal Chef Institute (PCI) of Providence, Rhode Island, to offer a comprehensive fiveday session that covers the skills necessary to successfully launch and manage a Personal Chef business. “All Personal Chefs have the passion for food and for service, but not all are ready to be full-time entrepreneurs. This course will give them the skills and the confidence to kick start a successful Personal Chef business,” said USPCA Vice President Robert Lynch

in their dreams, not because they did not have the passion but because they did not possess the core business skills needed to succeed,” said Chef Lara Moritz, owner of My Chef Lara and member of the USPCA since 2012. “I knew that we could change that.”

BUSINESS

Small class size and hands-on experience is key to learn everything you need in the least amount of time. PCI will run you through marketing, pricing, how to get and keep your client, how to navigate the prep and execution of a typical cooking day, how to use tools for the trade and much much more.

“THIS COURSE WILL GIVE YOU THE SKILLS AND THE CONFIDENCE TO KICK START A SUCCESSFUL PERSONAL CHEF BUSINESS.”

The next session will be held in Providence, Rhode Island, in April 2017. The session is tailored to the unique Personal Chef market, focuses on in-person, immersive, face-to-face learning with a small class size, and is led by instructors with both corporate and Personal Chef experience. “We had seen too many of our fellow personal chefs not succeed

The first step is the most important so invest in yourself and your future and learn what you need to know to hit the ground running and keep and grow your business for many years to come!

LARA MORITZ member since 2012

NORBERT KLOTZ member since 2015

Chefs who complete the course will receive marketing and business plans, a reference text book, templates, a 6-month subscription to Modernmeal.com, and a 1-year membership in the United States Personal Chef Association. For more information about the Personal Chef Institute, visit www.mypersonalchefschool.com.

TAKE THE FIRST STEP

Personal Chef | 9

CHEF STORY

PERSONAL CHEFFING IN A

DEAD ZONE

Hi! I’m Chef Jodi Giroux of Jodi’s Personal Chef and Culinary Services located in Menomonie, (pronounced Mi-nah-mahnee) Wisconsin, which is located in the upper Midwest- or as I recently found out, the USPCA like to call it – the Dead Zone! I’m about an hour east from Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN -- and yes, there’s a wonderful rivalry between the Packers and Vikings. To make a long story hopefully short, this is not my first career! I was a veterinary technician for 9 ½ years and then, after ending a mentally abusive relationship, I decided to go back to school for a business degree at UW-Stout in Menomonie, WI, to open more doors for myself. In the business program we had to take 10 extra credits in another field – the only other thing I knew was cooking, as I used to bartend/cook/waitress in local country taverns to make ends meet. So I enrolled in the Hospitality and Tourism area while focusing on Restaurant Management.

were the beginnings to my step out in faith moment. At the time I was a food coordinator for Hope Gospel Mission in Eau Claire, WI, and a line cook at Norske Kitchen and Kro in Menomonie. In the fall of 2014 I spoke with the restaurant owner about my business. He had opened restaurants all over the country and knew Personal Chefs, so I wanted to pick his brain on several things. Well he mostly talked about the restaurant!

JODI GIROUX member since 2010

Anyway, it came down to, professionally, I asked for less hours but also a raise. He said he’d talk to the manager. The week of Christmas they sat me down and asked me to be part owner of the restaurant. Yes, I was shocked and wondered if he were even in on the conversation we had in the fall! They gave me time to think about it...what turned out to be a week. Crazily enough, I ended up with five days off, over Christmas – unheard of with a business and two jobs!

“THEY SAT ME DOWN AND ASKED ME TO BE PART OWNER OF THE RESTAURANT. I WAS SHOCKED.”

Five weeks after school started, my current veterinary employer let me go due to my school schedule. With tears in my eyes, I drove to my bartending job. What to do? I had to find a steady form of income! I saw an ad for a part time cook position at Dunn County Health Care Center, also in Menomonie. I applied and got the job. I went from a veterinary technician to cooking for close to 200 people from scratch with seven different diets and three different consistencies – ugghh!!! I was overwhelmed, had nightmares for the first month, but looked around and figured that since there were elderly working in that kitchen, there was no reason I couldn’t do it! So throughout my college time I worked in various cooking jobs, and when I got to my cooking classes, several of my instructors asked me, “Jodi, have you thought about going on to culinary school? You really have what it takes?” Confusion and money signs infiltrated my head! I thanked them and put the comments/suggestions aside.

In my little town of Weston, I would shop and at times share my meals with an elderly gentleman. In one of my classes I mentioned to one of my professors, “It would be really cool to shop and prepare meals for people.” He looked at me and said, “Jodi, that’s a Personal Chef and that’s one of the fastest growing careers there is right now!” Well – that was before the stock market took a dive. However, six months after graduating from UW-Stout, I enrolled as a student at the Art Institute International, MN, located in Minneapolis and graduated in December 2009 with my Associates in Culinary Arts. While I started my business in 2011, I was also working two additional part-time jobs. The end of 2014 and beginning of 2015 10 | Personal Chef

I spent a lot of time praying on what to do. I didn’t discuss it with anyone except my mom as it was my decision to make and didn’t want others influencing me. So over that week I spent A LOT of time by myself and prayed. It all came down to focusing on my business. The owners sat me down and asked if I thought of their offer. I thanked them for the opportunity and felt honored; however, I had to focus on growing my business, and would still be able to continue my current position there. He wasn’t too happy about it. Actually, he had presented the same offer to another girl and wanted us to be co-owners while he and the other manager opened a new restaurant in Madison. I had to go to my job at Hope Gospel that afternoon and when I got there, on my white board hanging on my door, someone left the note, “God Bless You, Jodi! You are a Great person!” You do recall I didn’t mention this to anyone outside my mom right? Well – God put it on someone’s heart to make sure I got that message! My mouth dropped and I stood in awe! That week I got a call to work on a project for the WI Sheep Dairy Association – tasting sheep cheese and recipe development! Within a few weeks, I put my notice in at the restaurant as other business opportunities were coming forth. April of that same year, I gave my notice at Hope Gospel Mission, needing more time for my business. In June, the restaurant closed its doors!

It was an adjustment going from multiple jobs to my own. Several things I didn’t do right away that I wish I would have immediately after leaving Hope, is to join a Chamber of Commerce and a BNI. I did that, and others, in the last few months. In fact, I joined two Chambers of Commerce, the Eau Claire Dream Team BNI, Polka Dot Powerhouse (a women’s BNI that meets monthly), and REFINE (which I just joined January 19, 2017 – a professional, faith-based women’s group that also meets monthly). In addition to all of this I became an associate for Legal Shield. Now – I don’t mean I wish I would have done all of these things a year ago – maybe spaced some of them out, but by the end of this year – one of the Chambers and one of the BNI’s will probably be dropped. Some people may think I’m crazy and that’s okay! I’m one person, so there’s only one of me to bring in an income. I’m in a dead zone for personal chefs, remember? So getting the word out is difficult, and this is a way I found that I can get the word out…in my voice! I can clear up the confusion between a Personal Chef, caterer and private chef. This is public oral advertising! I’m strong....and I’m determined to put Personal Cheffing and the USPCA on the map in the upper Midwest.

Slowly…. but surely, I’ve been impressing several people with my cooking in the upper Midwest’s dead zone! If you are new to Personal Cheffing and the USPCA, please remember to reach out to all of us, your community, and join and attend your local USPCA chapter meetings. If you do have an active local chapter – you are blessed right from the get-go! Pick their brains, observe, have a one-on-one…. whatever it is you need to do to get your name out there! My closest USPCA member is over an hour away in Minnesota (and their chapter isn’t active). I think the next closest is several hours away in Wisconsin and even further in Chicago. I have no idea as what God has in store for me as he has brought me to all of this but I know there is a plan – “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11.

Personal Chef | 11

WHY SOME CLIENTS FALL IN LOVE AND OTHERS CANCEL (AND WHAT TO DO ABOUT) Have you ever had certain customers provide rave feedback and others that quickly cancel? Or some prospects that immediately understand your offering and see the value and others that question how you charge so much for your service?

BUSINESS

This can be frustrating when building your business. How can some people “get it” and others not? We faced the same issue and recently learned it’s because we understand some customers and not others. Our method was flawed; we weren’t considering all the different types of customers and their needs. To help us figure things out, we turned to a process called “user testing” and the impact was pretty incredible. Simply put: “Usability testing refers to evaluating a product or service by testing it with representative users. During a test, participants will try to complete tasks while observers watch, listen and takes notes.”

LESSON 3 - TEST EVERYTHING Armed with our defined personas the next step was to perform user testing with the real chefs we identified that MARK HUDGINS represented our various personas. founder, Modernmeal What we ultimately wanted to capture is the experience a potential customer had with Modernmeal. It’s important to create as much of a natural environment as possible when testing including having them use their own computer and mouse. We asked our testers to complete specific tasks while we watched, listened and took notes. We had to be very careful to not interject and risk influencing their feedback, while continually encouraging them to think out loud. We gave them specific areas to evaluate including:

“DURING ONE TEST, I LITERALLY CRACKED MY PHONE FROM BITING DOWN TO KEEP MY MOUTH SHUT.”

It sounds easy, but it isn’t. We learned some valuable lessons and believe this process and lessons learned could apply to all types of businesses. From one entrepreneur to another, here is what we learned. LESSON 1 - WE REALIZED WE HAVE MANY DIFFERENT CUSTOMER PERSONAS.

Early on we worked with the USPCA to form a focus group to help define the requirements of our platform. We had an amazing group of chefs volunteer and we are eternally grateful to them. Looking back, what we didn’t realize was our focus group mainly represented the same type of persona. They all used a certain software, had established successful businesses and valued increased efficiency. What they expected from Modernmeal, which was to work like MenuMagic, turned out to be different from other users’ need. We discovered that chefs used a variety of platforms to plan cook dates, including easy-to-use consumer websites. Therefore, they have broad expectations of what a platform should do. New chefs, just starting out in the PC business, represent a different persona and have different goals. These users wanted to get organized, find clients and save money. The focus on efficiency becomes more important once they have more clients. We clearly didn’t understand all the needs of a diverse group of potential customers, so now what? LESSON 2 - IDENTIFY EACH CUSTOMER PERSONA AND THEIR NEEDS. Ah, the fun part! We defined the different types of potential customers and created various user personas. We looked at gender, age, tech savviness, technology platforms used, number of customers and finally, experience with meal planning software. These attributes combined created the outline of a representative for the various customer segments of our business. During this process we identified a real personal chef that matched our persona. Next, we worked with them to understand their objectives as they considered Modernmeal as a solution. In total we found at least 12 | Personal Chef

five different personal chef personas. Check out our example with Chef Angelina.

• • • • •

• •

Our website messaging. The ease of signing up and barriers to

do so. Can they easily determine what to do first after signing up? How long it took them to find and use features that provided value. How well we anticipated their needs and showed key features in an intuitive workflow. Their experience on a mobile device. Our subscription plans and pricing.

It’s enlightening to see your own product through the eyes of different customer personas and it was really tough to watch. The things that were so obvious to us after years of development were totally invisible to our users. During one test I literally cracked my cell phone screen from biting down on it to keep my mouth shut. I remember thinking “wow, is this really what our prospects and customers experience?” I was shocked that customers had

experienced this and many still really loved our product. Talk about eye opening; we had serious work to do...and still do. This process allowed us to see our offering like our potential customers did and it wasn’t surprising at all that some people just didn’t get Modernmeal. This process is not easy or comfortable. It requires commitment, honest engagement and openness to truly determine who your potential customers are, what they need and how your product measures up. It takes creativity to motivate people to take the time to test and provide feedback. It takes discipline to gather raw unbiased feedback. It requires you to swallow your pride and admit you may need to modify your offering. It also takes courage to go through the process over and over again, but we learned a lot and will likely become more valuable to more chefs as a result. So what was the end result of customer personas and user testing? We realized that there isn’t an end result so much as an ongoing process. Our customers are so diverse that we will never be in the minds of all of them. Therefore, we must continually test with our different customer types, observe and learn. Beyond that, we have to quickly implement the feedback we gather and repeat the process. As a result of this process we have some exciting news! Starting in January 2017 we are introducing the most radical implementation of user feedback yet. Identifying customer personas and user testing led us to understand the following: • • • • •

We absolutely need to have multiple product offerings at various price points. Being a digital platform we should help our users get more clients. Our mobile experience has to be on par with consumer platforms. Users want to be able to have meaningful communication with other users. Users need to be able to verify the accuracy of the nutritional

• • • •

data. As business needs change users should be able to up or downgrade their plans. Entering a credit card should not be required to get a free trial. Data must be easier to import and reliable. We need to make workflows and key features more apparent to all types of users.

We are incredibly excited to roll out these changes and still we will just be scratching the surface of where we’re taking Modernmeal. Our goal is to create the ultimate professional meal planning platform and to do that we will always need and seek customer feedback and validation every step of the way. CAN USER TESTING BENEFIT PERSONAL CHEFS? I know user testing sounds more software than cooking, but do you have customers evaluating your offering online? What impression are you making? Are you communicating value? How do you know? User testing could help.

The 5 steps to user testing:

1. Identify the various personas of your prospects and customers. 2. Incentivize these personas to test with you. 3. Understand their objectives. • Why would they be interested in your service? • What about your offering is most important to them? • What would they be willing to pay? What is driving that value? • What are their alternatives? 4. Give them specific scenarios like these examples: • Find a business in your area that provides in home meal services. • What do they turn to, where do they search, which search terms? ◊ Search for personal chefs and evaluate their services. • What is the most important criteria in their decision making process? • What are the barriers to moving forward? ◊ Look at your marketing channels and website then evaluate your service. • What do they think and feel when looking at your website? • Are your services clear to them? • Do they understand the value your service provides? Why not? • If things aren’t clear, what would they expect? 5. Ask for unbiased feedback. During testing let your testers know there isn’t a wrong response, ask what they are thinking and listen. Let them give you unbiased feedback and take notes of the good, the bad, of everything. If they ask a question, your reply should be “what would you expect the answer to be?” The less you lead and the more you listen, the more you will learn. Are they interpreting your business the way you want them to? If not, take their feedback make changes and retest again, ideally with different people representing your personas. Test until a diverse group of prospects can evaluate your offering and understand the value you provide in the manner you intend. You might be surprised how user testing can open your eyes to how prospects and customers see your business. Good luck and happy testing!

Personal Chef | 13

14 | Personal Chef

CHEF STORY

SHARING MY CULTURAL ROOTS -- ONE PARTY AT A TIME! Ever heard of kimchi? I’m certain that many if not all of us have by now. The pungent, fiery red concoction of fermented vegetables famously buried in the ground of so many rural households in Korea is making quite the name for itself these last few years as a superfood, rich in gut-healthy probiotics and nutrients to boot. So healthy is the Korean national dish that during the SARS epidemic, South Koreans remained virtually untouched by the disease which had affected so many throughout other parts of Asia, according to The BBC (Magnier, 2003). The fermented dish saw record high levels of exportation to other Asian nations throughout the epidemic, reaching almost $90 million USD in sales to just Taiwan, China, and Japan alone (Fitzpatrick, 2004)! How’s that for a superfood?!

bossam, which is steeped in coffee (to remove the strong smell) and other aromatic spices to flavor the juicy meat. This is usually paired either with makgeolli (a creamy, slightly sweet rice liquor) or soju (a vodka-like rice or starch derived strong alcohol) to ward off the early winter chill and keep the kimchi-making momentum going!

“SO I FIGURED, HEY, WHY NOT MAKE A PARTY OF IT?”

So why am I writing about this? Well, when the all-call came out to share different events we may have participated in, I decided to throw my hat in and share my story about the kimjang parties I’ve been hosting in my charming city of Baltimore! What is kimjang, you ask? Well, simply put, kimjang is the ageold Korean tradition of communal and collective kimchi making during the end of the fall harvest to make enough kimchi to last an entire community or family unit through the winter months. A family or a community will pool their resources and share the responsibility and the monumental task of preparing all the many ingredients necessary for making the traditional cabbage dish and then take turns at each home making and jarring kimchi for fermentation and storage. Each host will serve an exceptionally simple yet incredibly tasty meal of boiled pork belly and cabbage wraps called

BELINDA PRATTIS member since 2016

At the insistence of a few friends last year, I finally decided that there was enough interest in people wanting to learn to make kimchi from scratch, so I figured, hey, why not make a party of it?! Just like the sip and paint concept, but with pork and cabbage rather than wine and paintbrushes! To date, I’ve hosted three parties, one of them as a pop up dinner at a local cafe which sold out, and I had a party for 25 in February at Baltimore’s newest dining space, R House in their The Pop Up stall with Make Tribe Baltimore! I’ve booked another for next week, a private lesson which was purchased as a Christmas gift from a mother to her daughter and son-in-law. In 2017, my goal is to host at least six more such parties or gatherings and get this event its own Service Mark. Not only is this event a great source for an income stream, it’s the best way that I can share a part of the essence of the Korean half of me with everyone, one kimjang party at a time! Fitzpatrick, M. (2004, January 13). SOUTH KOREA: SARS boosts kimchi exports to record levels. Retrieved January 20, 2017, from http://www.just-food.com/news/sars-boostskimchi-exports-to-record-levels_id79989.aspx Magnier, M. (2003, June 17). In an age of SARS, Koreans tout kimchi cure. Personal Chef | 15

ARE YOU CAUGHT IN THE PLEASURE TRAP? One of the webinars I watched as a student in the Plant-Based Nutrition Course through the T. Colin Campbell Foundation was based on the book by Dr. Doug Lisle and Dr. Alan Goldhamer called The Pleasure Trap. The webinar was narrated by Dr. Lisle.

FOOD

It made clear to me how all creatures (including humans) take part in behaviors that increase the likelihood of its survival and reproduction. One question Dr. Lisle asks is how do we know what those behaviors are? We need something to tell us when we’re on the right track. And that something is known as a guidance system. This guidance system is known as the Motivational Triad and is composed of three parts: • Seeking pleasure • Avoiding pain • Conserving energy. Obviously, eating foods that taste good will be pleasurable, and you will want to continue this as it ensures your survival. You will also avoid situations and environments that are a risk to your survival; i.e., you will dress warmly when going out in a blizzard, or, better yet, stay inside to avoid freezing to death. And to conserve energy, you will eat food that is more convenient to you. Back in the days of cavemen and cavewomen, humans conserved energy by gathering food that was closest to where they lived, or they moved to areas where food was more abundant. But there’s another guidance system at work known as the moods of happiness. The moods of happiness provides constant reinforcement that helps you move toward goals. It lets you know you’re headed in the right direction: toward pleasure. We’re not experiencing it if we’re getting the reward (pleasure) while missing out on the journey.

Food Salad Fruit Rice, Potatoes, Beans Cheese Pure Sugar Nuts and Seeds Chocolate French Fries

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Calories / Pound 100 300 500 1700 1800 2000-2500 2500 4000

How does all of this relate to your diet? We get stuck in the pleasure trap by stimulating dopamine production though processed food, drugs, etc. What happens is that we make bad choices that have negative consequences to our health and happiness.

CHRISTINE SCALFO member since 2009

To illustrate: if you take an animal and offer it a drug that will stimulate either a dopamine release, or a potential mate for sexual activity - the animal will not only choose the drug, it will continue to choose the drug even if it’s not in the animal’s best interest for survival. Similarly, we humans get caught up in this motivational system. We seek out pleasure - drugs and processed foods (stimulates dopamine), avoid pain (take medication), and conserve energy by taking short-cuts to pleasure. And since we are programmed to do what we have to do to ensure our survival, we will consume foods that have high caloric density, giving us more bang for our buck. Why would you want to eat a low calorie salad when french fries and cheese provide more energy? Low calorie foods may not “taste” as good as higher calorie foods, so we seek out those with the higher calories. It’s basic survival. But because food is so abundant in this day and age, we get caught in the trap of eating high fat, high sugar, processed foods that lead to heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes, etc. - just like the animal who continues to choose the drug which brings immediate pleasure, but ultimately leads to its demise. Doctors Lisle and Goldhamer recommend “subtracting our way to health” by cutting the foods of excess from the diet. These foods are meat, fish, fowl, eggs, dairy products, oil, salt, sugar, and refined carbohydrates, and replacing these foods with fresh fruits, vegetables, tubers, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds. The goal is to re-set our internal compasses back to “True North” where we can then recognize the pleasure traps and avoid their temptations. To help you escape from the Pleasure Trap Doctors Lisle and Goldhamer have outlined a program of “Five Keys to a Healthy Path.” See them all on the next page.

5 KEYS TO A HEALTHY PATH #1

No Junk Food in the House! If these high-sugar, “drug-like foods” are not constantly available, they won’t end up inside the stomach.

The Weekly Menu. Having a menu plan and shopping list will help you avoid the temptations of commercially prepared foods to satisfy hunger.

Cook in Quantity. Conserve energy by freezing foods for additional meals.

Create a “Car Pack.” Instead of going to a fast food restaurant or eating junk snacks, prepare a lunch box of healthy snacks for your car.

Getting Help. Hire a cook to prepare weekly portions of healthy foods.

Dr. Lisle and Dr. Goldhamer are both involved with True North Health Center in California where they have helped thousands of people restore their health. Lisle, Doug. 2012 The Pleasure Trap. Plant-Based Nutrition, Diseases of Affluence: TCC502:1-35. Christine Scalfo, HHC, AADP Food for Living - Vineland, NJ www.foodforliving.net Personal Chef | 17

A WEBSITE IS WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS Last year, I was honored to receive the “Website of the Year” award at the USPCA Conference for my Personal Chef website: www. thesavorchef.com. It was a real honor because that past year, I had worked on building a new website with my amazing team and web designer Ben Coyour, and I had just launched the brand new and improved website. Talk about hard work paying off!

ASSOCIATION

After having the same old website for four years, I knew it was time for a new one. My former website had become very outdated and was no longer serving me well. It had become neglected, and I had failed to make revisions and changes throughout the years because I simply didn’t have time to. It was also no longer aesthetically pleasing because technology had changed so much and it looked too basic and cluttered. To sum it up, it was just “blah.” My old website was also not built on a trusted platform like WordPress, and while it had decent SEO, my site was starting to lose ranking in Google because it was static. Google doesn’t like it when websites are neglected! I also hadn’t been regularly posting on my blog and we all know that new blog posts can help improve your SEO.

name and email in exchange for my food benefits guide (a lead magnet). Statistically, you get more people filling out their information with pop-ups vs. non-pop ups and this has definitely been the case for me! I am building my email list at a much faster rate than I was on my previous site. It has now been almost a year and a DEB CANTRELL half since my new website launched, member since 2003 and I can’t tell you enough how incredibly important it has been for getting new clients. Since the launch, we have updated some images, added new pages, updated copy, I blog every week etc. It is now much more a living and breathing site, as it should be. It’s also much easier to get clients directly from my website now. What I mean by that, is before my website was just a conversation starter. People would visit my site and then had no choice but to call me to get more information. Now, potential clients can actually fill out a food questionnaire form right on the website. This speeds up the process of a lead turning into a customer and we have gotten so many more clients this way! (and it’s also less work for me)

“TO SUM IT UP, MY OLD WEBSITE WAS ‘BLAH.’”

Not only was the information and look of my website outdated, but my potential customers were getting lost on my site and not finding the information they needed to, and it just didn’t speak to the customer base I wanted to attract. If you’re like most Personal Chefs, you are after a demographic with a high income and your website will not resonate with them if it doesn’t look high-end. At that time, I also realized that I needed to do a brand refresh. I hired my good friend Kelly Lucente, a brand strategist to help me update my logo and create a new look and feel for my brand including new fonts, imagery and messaging. Like I mentioned, I hired an amazing web designer who could create a website on WordPress that would reflect my updated brand and attract my ideal clients while also ranking me high in Google. It took about six months for this whole process (and a lot of money), but once my site was up it was easy to see it was well worth the investment. My new website is now simplified, more modern looking, much easier to navigate and is more image-driven. After all, people eat with their eyes first! My web designer made sure to include buttons on each page that people could click to go to the next page to help the site flow better. Another great feature is that my contact information was more readily visible. My name, location and phone number was not only on the footer of my website but on each page. I wanted to make it as easy as possible for people to call me or fill out a contact form. Another new feature that my previous website didn’t have, is a pop-up opt-in. When a user visits the site, 8 seconds later, a small pop-up comes up asking for their 18 | Personal Chef

I now receive compliments on our website and people tell me that they actually chose my business over my competition because my website was nicer and my messaging was so clear. Isn’t that amazing? Last year, about 35% of our new clients came from Google/ our website. That is a pretty good chunk, which means your website needs to not only impress but inform and convert visitors into buyers. Make sure your website is elevating your brand, not bringing it down. I work with so many talented chefs who have a great brand but their website stinks and it is costing them valuable business. Is your website helping or hurting you? KEY TAKEAWAYS: • Your website can either attract or detract your ideal clients • Invest the money in getting your website professionally designed • Treat your website like a living, breathing thing; make sure to update every 6 months or so • Look for ways to convert website visitors into clients • Pop-up opt-ins statistically perform better than static ones • A large percentage of your business should come from your website

THESAVORCHEF.COM

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NEW ENGLAND WINS USPCA CHAPTER OF THE YEAR The USPCA’s New England chapter is currently 54 chefs strong and spans Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut. Though the active core of members is more in the dozen range (those who participate regularly in events, meetings and conversations), there is a very strong bond between members as friends and colleagues.

•

ASSOCIATION

A blend of former business people, formally trained chefs, and even a punk rocker, we find our differences is what makes us strong. The willingness to share information, regarding food sources, preparation, new recipes, special diets, menu planning, organization of a cook day and packaging helps all of us succeed. A wealth of knowledge regarding the legal side of doing business exists as well, from forming your business model, what extra insurances we need and spam alerts. When the group is asked a question, there is always a response, an offer of resources, and even man power if a chef needs an extra set of hands. We have all had the chance to work together on some level, be it a large party, a charitable afternoon, or even a corporate outing.

•

The strength of this chapter truly shone in planning the 2016 Providence, Rhode Island, National Conference. Resources, restaurant suggestions, speakers, topics, social events to science, this chapter came through. Several of our members did not hesitate to teach classes as well and did a great job. We have focused more in 2016 and going forward in adding field trips to our chapter meetings, with trips to a fish pier in Boston, a winery tour, the RI Mushroom Company, and an upcoming trip to Boston Microgreens, a hydroponic grower. We have a potential oyster boat trip this summer to look forward to as well. We look for charitable opportunities to give back to our communities, including past visits to a soup kitchen and women’s shelter to help prepare the evening meal. We have walked multiple years for the Walk for Hunger in Boston raising close to $1,000 each year and look forward to this year’s walk. We are all committed to helping one another succeed. When we work great together, we all benefit and have a lot of fun too. Examples include: •

The New England Food Show - a great place to see what is new in the food world

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•

A scheduled tour of a local city Farmer’s Market and ethnic stores with Chef Lester Esser, one of our Personal Chefs Helping new chefs with shadowing a fellow chef on a cook day - a great way to learn how a day is done Offering time to cover a LAURA MACDOUGALL member since 2008 cook day for a chef who is hurt and is out of work for a time Sharing techniques, efficiency tips and even difficult client support, reviewing menus, and suggesting dishes to help a chef out of a “brain freeze” Sharing news, interesting local events and items that might help in our day to day enjoyment of cooking • Regular get togethers, as well as great communication throughout the year through phone calls, emails, Facebook and meetings • A sense of trust that each of us has with the other....I believe we would all work together on any given day, or share a client if the need arose • Offering to share the limelight of a local radio show to talk about cheffing, our own businesses and the USPCA • Passing of clients we can not cover ourselves - referring our fellow chefs to a new customer we can not take on • Working together to do a local Food Tasting event for charity (3 years in a row) - 3-4 chefs under the USPCA banner cooking and talking to our visitors while having a little friendly competition so much more....

I am proud of our chapter, and believe we can really make a difference in any event we put our minds to. The support and friendship we share helps make a solo business owner feel a part of a bigger organization on a personal level. We have grown in the past year and look forward to engaging more of our chefs into the active fold that makes us strong. We are New England chefs, full of energy, sass and genuine friendships.

A chapter outing in 2016 At the 2016 National Conference

Personal Chef | 21

HOW TO FILE FEDERAL INCOME TAXES FOR SMALL BUSINESSES

FINANCE

Depending on your business type, there are different ways to prepare and file your taxes.

When it’s time to file a federal income tax return for your small business, there are various ways you can do it, depending on whether you run the business as a sole proprietorship or use a legal entity such as an LLC or corporation. Each type of entity requires a different tax form on which you report your business income and expenses. Regardless of the form you use, you generally calculate your taxable business income in similar ways. TurboTax has two products to serve business owners - TurboTax Home & Business is designed for sole proprietors and 1099 contractors, while TurboTax Business helps you prepare taxes for corporations, partnerships and LLCs.

STEP 1 - COLLECT YOUR RECORDS Gather all business records. Before filling out any tax form to report your business income, you should have all records in front of you that report your business earnings and expenses.

right form to report earnings on depends on how you operate your business. Many small business owners use a sole proprietorship which allows them to report all of their business income and expenses on a Schedule C attachment to their personal income tax return. If you run the business as an LLC and you are the sole owner, the IRS also allows you to use the Schedule C attachment. However, if you use a corporation or elect to treat your LLC as one, then you must always prepare a separate corporate tax return on Form 1120. When you use TurboTax Home & Business (sole proprietors and contractors) or TurboTax Business (corporations, LLCs and partnerships), you just need to answer simple questions about your business income and expenses, and we’ll fill in all the right forms for you.

STEP 3 - FILL OUT YOUR FORM Fill out your Schedule C or Form 1120. If you will be reporting your business earnings on Schedule C, you can search the IRS website for a copy or use TurboTax to generate the form for you after you input all of your financial information.

ARTICLES AND TIPS PROVIDED BY TURBOTAX

If you use a computer program or a spreadsheet to organize and keep track of all transactions during the year, calculating your income and deductions is much easier than trying to remember every sale and expenditure that occurred during the year. TurboTax works with programs like QuickBooks and Quicken, so you can import information directly into your tax return.

STEP 2 - FIND THE RIGHT FORM Determine the correct IRS tax form. You report your

always need to business ear nings to the IRS and pay

Schedule C is a simple way for filing business taxes since it is only two pages long and lists all the expenses you can claim. When complete, you just subtract your expenses from your business earnings to arrive at you net profit or loss. You then transfer this number to your personal income tax form and include it with all other personal income tax items. However, if you use a Form 1120, you calculate your taxable business income in the same way, but the form requires more details that may not always apply to a small business. The biggest disadvantage of filing a Form 1120 is that it is separate from your personal income tax return.

STEP 4 - PAY ATTENTION TO DEADLINES Be aware of different filing deadlines. When you use a Schedule C, it becomes part of your Form 1040 and therefore, no separate filing deadlines apply. It is generally subject to the same April 15 deadline. If you are taxed as a C-Corp, you need to file a Form 1120, you must file it by the 15th day of the forth month following the close of the tax year, which for most taxpayers is April 15. If you are taxed as an S-Corp, you need to file a Form 1120S, you must file it by the 15th day of the third month following the close of the tax year, which for most taxpayers is March 15. You cannot send this form to the IRS with your personal income tax return.

tax on

them, b u t choosing the

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Remember, when you use TurboTax to prepare your taxes, we’ll determine which forms you need and put the information in all the right places. All you need to do is answer simple, plain-English questions.

LITTLE-KNOWN TAX TIPS FOR SMALL-BUSINESS OWNERS At tax time, small businesses look for ways to save money and maximize credits and deductions. “One of the most overlooked ways for small businesses to save at tax time starts at the beginning of each tax year,” advises David Ayoub, CPA in Syracuse, N.Y. “It’s simple. Keep every receipt. Find a way to corral all the loose receipts lying around your desk, in your purse and in your car. They can add up to a lot of deductions.” Another easy and often overlooked deduction is the cash transactions that many small businesses do. “Keep track of everything in a log,” adds Ayoub.

“KEEP EVERY RECEIPT. KEEP TRACK OF EVERYTHING IN A LOG.”

CARRY FORWARD THE HEALTH CREDIT The healthcare tax credit is offered on a sliding scale. Businesses that employ fewer than 10 full-time-equivalent employees with average wages under $25,000 per person get the most benefit. To claim the credit, use form 8941 to calculate your eligibility. If your business did not owe taxes in that year, you may be able to carry the credit forward. If a remainder of the tax premium exists, you can claim business expenses against it.

DEDUCT SECTION 179 PROPERTY Small businesses can opt to deduct the full amount of certain property as expenses in the year the business began using them. This is referred to as section 179 property and can include up to $500,000 of eligible business property in the 2016 tax year.

Some eligible deductions include: • • • •

Property used in manufacturing, transportation and production Any type of facility used for business or research Buildings used to hold livestock or horticultural products Off-the-shelf computer software

Excluded: • • • • •

Land Investment property Land outside of the U.S. Buildings that provide lodging Buildings that are used to store air conditioning or heating units

TurboTax can assist you in choosing what types of property are appropriate deductibles.

DEDUCT APPRECIABLE STOCK CONTRIBUTIONS Many small businesses make charity contributions throughout the year and deduct the amount that’s donated. Ayoub suggests a way to maximize these contributions. “Donate appreciable stocks instead of money,” he advises. “Your business can deduct the current worth of the stock at the time of contributing, as opposed to what the stock was originally purchased (for).” For example, if you donate one share of a stock that you bought a year ago for $50 per share, and that stock is now worth $100 per share, you can deduct $100 at tax time. This gives you a deduction of the $50 you paid for the share plus the additional $50 that the share appreciated.

Personal Chef | 23

MARKETING

5 (NEW) WAYS TO BOOST YOUR PERSONAL CHEF BUSINESS ON Did you know that as of December 2016, Instagram had acquired 600 million monthly users? Talk about global domination! Since Facebook bought this image-sharing app, we’ve started to spot some new advancements for business promotions. From Instagram business pages to post boosting to Instagram Live, it’s one of the best social media platforms for entrepreneurs. I believe this is doubly true for chefs. If you love beautiful food, you can’t help but love Instagram. The minute I sign on, I enter a dream world full of artisanal products, exotic ingredients, 5-star dishes and homemade masterpieces. In addition to those creating mouthwatering meals, there are just as many people on Instagram who don’t cook but still enjoy looking at the pretty pictures or learning new things. It’s all about inspiration! Instagram offers a place where people who have this level of appreciation, interest or curiosity hang out. Thus, for personal chefs, it’s prime real estate for launching, selling and promoting your services and brand. Where do you start? With an account, of course. If you already have one, I still invite you to pay attention to some of the details to ensure it’s set up properly.

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Step 1: Download the app to your

smartphone. Then, create a username and password.

Step 2: Upload a profile picture of

yourself. Opt for one that speaks to who you are as a professional. For example, if you always wear a chef coat and hat, display an image of you in full uniform. If you prefer to wear NIKKI CROES an apron, then don’t bother getting owner, Intuition Kitchen buttoned up.

Step 3: Upgrade to a business account. In Instagram, go to

your profile page, then go to Options. Tap Switch to Business Profile and follow the screen prompts to get set up. Once you’re ready, you can start posting images of your meals, containers and commercial kitchen space, as well as your grand buffet spread, new client (with permission) and so on! Then, you’ll want to take it a step further by implementing strategies that will help boost your business. I shared some of these before, but as social media evolves, I’ve added some fresh tips to the list.

Find Your Voice

There are a lot of people on Instagram who enjoy looking at food, want to learn more about cooking or are following a special diet. So it’s really the perfect platform for sharing your food photos and talking to people about your particular perspective.

The key is to think about what your audience is craving and share posts that would appeal to them. This is how you differentiate yourself from the masses and create a consistent message. For example, if you’re a gluten-free chef, highlight your favorite glutenfree brands or the ingredients you use to bake a gluten-free cake.

Play with Filters

Don’t think you have the photography skills to be on Instagram? After listening to the story of Instagram’s creation, I learned that what made the app so successful was the filters. Those who felt they couldn’t participate in an image-sharing platform, now had access to filters to improve the lighting and the mood.

In other words, don’t be shy! Take a photo and adjust it as needed. In addition to filters, you can crop and edit the image, and download new associated apps, such as Layout, that take your page to the next level.

Be the Expert

Network with Other Businesses

Maybe you want to share samples of your food at a gourmet shop or cook for yoga retreats—or maybe you just want to get more involved in your community. You can easily find olive oil stores, wineries or yoga studios in your area on Instagram. Follow them! Then, like and comment on their photos. Establish a relationship with them, and follow up by inviting them to coffee in the neighborhood. This is a smart strategy if you’re not a fan of cold calling, because you’ve already developed a social connection.

While you’re at it, reach out to bloggers, influencers and publishers. Like and comment on their photos to get them to notice you. If you ever want to pitch an article or idea down the line, you’ll already be on their radar. Just be sure you approach this with authenticity. Need a professional boost? Let us take over your Instagram account! If you’re excited to get your business on Instagram, but don’t have the time or interest in maintaining it, we can do it for you. Email us to learn more at info@intuitionkitchenink.com. Plus, follow us on Instagram at instagram.com/ intuitionkitchenink. Email us your handle and we’ll follow you back.

Some people don’t understand how amazing it could be to have a personal chef in their life. An inspiring Instagram page, featuring images of your meals and how you store them and videos about simple reheat-and-eat foods, can open someone’s mind to the possibility of hiring you.

Nikki Croes is the Owner of Intuition Kitchen Ink—an online marketing and content creation company, serving the food, health and fitness industries. Along with her team, she helps her clients maintain a consistent blog, write website copy, edit recipes, manage social media, develop email campaigns and take creative ideas from conception to completion.

You can also sprinkle in testimonials. Ask your clients what they thought of your meals or services. Upload a photo along with their genuine reactions. Link to your client if permissible. Get people excited about learning more or wanting to work with you.

Nikki is a graduate of the Natural Gourmet Institute for Health and Culinary Arts and the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. She earned a BA in Business and Communications and has worked as a writer and editor for companies such as Saatchi & Saatchi, Macy’s, Harrods and Ann Taylor.

Find More Followers

Unlike other social media channels, anyone can like, find and follow you. You don’t have to approve people who want to see your photos, so you have the potential to really expand your audience. You can also include hashtags relevant to your business and the area you service to attract your tribe. If you live in Denver, Colorado, for example, add #Denver #Colorado along with #personalchef to your posts to establish yourself as the go-to resource in your area.

To receive free weekly digital marketing tips, and a complimentary Blog Writing Recipe: 5 Ingredients Every Blog Must Include, sign up for her newsletter at: intuitionkitchenink.com Reference for 600 million statistic: https://www.statista.com/ statistics/253577/number-of-monthly-active-instagram-users/

In addition to hashtags, be sure to update your account when a new version is available. There are always new features cropping up that you don’t want to miss. Currently, you have the opportunity to view analytics, which is huge. This means you can see specific demographic details about your followers so you can continue to hone your message and pinpoint the most active times to post.

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COOKING FOR CAREGIVERS: A 2016 SNAPSHOT

I have used this month to think back on 2016 and what Cooking for Caregivers, LLC has accomplished. It’s not easy to write for a person that doesn’t do well tooting their own horn!

CHEF STORY

Anyway here goes… •

•

In 2016 I was asked to return to the Lilburn Farmers Market for the second time by the Lilburn Women’s Club which manages the Farmers Market each year. It’s an opportunity for me to do Food Demos on Friday LISA LOWE evenings during the summer. I enjoy being member since 2011 outside cooking but mostly meeting new people, and talking about what Cooking For Caregivers LLC is all about. I look forward to the summer of 2017. CFC LLC is on a Gwinnett County Committee for Caregivers which is managed by the Director of Health and Human Services. The Committee goes out to businesses in the county and does Lunch and Learns. We provide lunch (Catered by CFC LLC) but also bring tons of information and resources regarding Caregiving, Dementia, and Kinship Care. This year the committee was presented a national award for work being done in the county. It’s truly an honor for me to be involved by being able to give back by speaking of my own caregiving experiences. To top off the year with not only new business CFC LLC was nominated for a Best of Gwinnett Award in the category of Food/Events. As it’s a great honor I also had the opportunity to explain to The Best of Gwinnett committee that in the future Personal Chefs need a category of their own. Truly, I am humbled by all that CFC LLC has been fortunate to be involved in, in 2016.

Now, its time move forward in 2017!

NETWORKING FOR CHEFS: IT’S A PIECE OF CAKE!

When is the last time you went to a networking event? You know those strange business settings where you aren’t wearing your chef coat? Are they worthwhile? And you may be asking if it’s worth your time? Let’s set the stage…

MARKETING

It’s insurance and real estate agents as far as the eye can see handing out business cards like they are hot potatoes. Then someone hands you a business card without introducing themselves! It’s like a drive-by business card fiasco! And everyone is looking at everyone else’s chest to read their name tags. (Don’t get me started on the women who wear their name tags too low. It should be placed up towards the collarbone chefs!) Maybe I’m not motivating you yet, but ANGELA WHITFORD-DOWNING this is a sea of opportunity if member since 2013 you are prepared. Here are some tried, true and tested tips to “work the room”: •

•

Before you go, see if there is an attendee list or at least a board of directors of the organization. Chamber events are a perfect example, and you don’t have to be a member to attend. Their board is made up of people working in a variety of industries, and they know a ton of people in their community. If they have pictures, that’s even better so you can walk right up and introduce yourself without having to read name tags. Ask yourself how can I grow my business by networking with ____? Take a few minutes to think about how a CPA, estate-planning attorney, home care services manager or real estate agent may help your business and how you can help their business? Food for open houses? Just a thought! And do you know what all of these people are sick of ? Talking to the same old people at every event. Talking to a chef about food… which anyone can talk about… is a breath of fresh air. Remember people want to talk about themselves. Let them talk about themselves and their business. Don’t just push your message. Find out what’s important to them and they will ask about you!

This last part is the most important… At these events you can meet a potential client or you can meet a good referral source. Do you know the difference? For example, the acupuncturist you’re talking to might want to be your client but many times they won’t need your services. Is it a waste of time to talk after that? No! That same acupuncturist may be able to refer several of their clients to you. A referral source is more valuable in the long run. Even the best networkers fall short when it comes to follow up. You don’t have to email everyone you meet, but take the time to email those you made a connection with. Maybe send them a recipe for the dish you talked about! If nothing else, by going to these events you’re helping to spread the word about our industry. It will be fun because talking about what we do to anyone and everyone is… you guessed it… a piece of cake.

26 | Personal Chef

SALMON: MAKING A HEALTH DECISION What is Salmon?

Salmon – A marine and freshwater food fish, having a pink flesh, inhabiting waters off the North Atlantic coasts of Europe and North America near the mouths of large rivers, which it enters to spawn. (Webster’s Dictionary) I was asked by a client, which did I prefer, Atlantic or Pacific Salmon? I thought about this question and this is what came to mind. What you really want to know is, which do I prefer, wild or farmed-raised Salmon? My answer is wild Salmon every time. This is my reasoning. You decide which you prefer. Salmon is expensive in some places but the benefits out way the expense.

What are the benefits? • • •

Good source of high quality protein Heart healthy omega-3 fatty acids Good source of vitamins and minerals

Wild and Farmed raised have the above healthy benefits. I choose the wild because these fish feed on food that is normal for salmon to eat. Those foods range from plankton to small krill to bigger size fish of course depending on the species of salmon and what they prefer. The foods they eat convert to healthy benefits and it changes the coloring of their flesh. It’s made to turn to a pink hue color which can also range to a deep crimson pink. This is a natural carotenoid pigment that alters their flesh coloring.

What are carotenoids?

Carotenoids are plant pigments responsible for bright red, yellow and orange hues in many fruits and vegetables. These pigments play an important role in plant health. People who eat foods containing carotenoids get protective health benefits as well. So, the small Krill, a shrimp like crustacean, eat plankton, which is a small single cell plant like organism. The food salmon feed upon not only changes the color of their meat but it also helps in their reproduction in order to continue their species. Now the difference between the wild and the farm raised, the farm raised don’t swim in the wild of course. They are contained in aquatic ponds of sorts. Therefore, they cannot dine on their natural food source. The keepers of the pond feed the contained fish, salmon pellets. So the question to ask, what are the ingredients in the pellets? Some farms serve up unnatural food for these fish such as ‘genetically modified corn and soy, but others require a fish based diet. Ironically, tiny prey fish like anchovies and herring are now being dangerously overfished to meet the growing feed demands of farmed-fish populations’ Farmed Salmon are also fed chemicals, ‘synthetic astaxanthin’, which is a synthetic carotentoid chemical made from petrochemicals.

This will give farmed salmon that pinkish hue to make them look like it has been wild caught. Here’s a question, are these chemicals safe for human consumption? The answer is no! ‘This chemical is not approved for human consumption in any country.’

FOOD

Sure, the fish are fed the chemical, but if you are consuming the farmed salmon, you are also eating them too! Remember the old adage, ‘we are what we eat, but in actuality it’s ‘we are what our food ate’. Without the chemicals the farmed salmon will have a grayish flesh color. The healthy omega fat of farmed salmon may not be as beneficial as wild salmon because of that farmed diet.

JAMES MEDLEY member since 2013

Diseases are a problem for some farmed salmon due to overcrowding. These are just a few thoughts that come to mind when comparing the two types of breeding between farmed salmon versus nature (the natural way salmon has been raised for centuries). When shopping for salmon, know that Atlantic salmon is farm raised. All Atlantic salmon are on the endangered species list and are illegal to be fished for. For me I will be shopping for wild Pacific Salmon. Here is a list of those species just in case you want wild. • Wild Pacific Salmon • Pink • Sockeye • Chum • Coho • Chinook (King) My favorite salmon is Sockeye. This is the one I look for when I’m cooking this tasty treat in my kitchen or grilling outdoors. This is the species that have that intense dark pinkish hue. Their coloring is different from all other salmon. They mainly diet on plankton, that is why the intense coloring of their flesh. They are delicious and very beneficial to the body. So ask yourself which do you prefer? Until Next Time! Sources:

http://www.livescience.com/52487-carotenoids.html http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/07/10/ banned-foods http://www.naturalhealth365.com/0879_astaxanthin.html/ http://www.purezing.com/living/food_articles/ living_articles_7salmon.htm

What are petrochemicals?

Petrochemical- a chemical obtained from petroleum and natural gas (Webster’s Dictionary) Personal Chef | 27

4 VALUABLE CUSTOMER RETENTION STRATEGIES FOR PERSONAL CHEFS.

MARKETING interested and happy.

Even if you’re a personal chef business that has an established customer base, the only way to continue to grow your business is by keeping your clients

These happy customers, in turn, produce more prospects and clients by way of positive reviews and word of mouth recommendations - not to mention feeding your bottom line with their repeat business. If you want to build and maintain customer relationships, try these 4 valuable customer retention strategies.

Blog Blog & Blog Some More Clients need reassurance and love to keep up with the news. No matter what level of personal chef business you run, keeping an updated blog that focuses on you and your experiences and industry news will keep your clients knowing they made the right decision and educated on the things your want them to know.

Develop Loyalty Programs The majority of any company’s income comes from repeat customers; that’s because it takes more advertising dollars to gain new clients than it does to keep your current ones. So it only makes sense to focus on retention. Adding value to your existing customers’ experiences will keep them coming back and loyalty programs are an inexpensive way to accomplish this goal. GEORGE TSAFONIAS

Discounts or free products will always appeal to customers who love your founder, MarketLoyal personal chef services. Therefore, keep implementing different types of rewards programs should go a long way in generating repeat sales from your existing clients.

Questionnaires & Surveys

Blogs allow you to reach limitless readers, and they are automatically targeted by searches relevant to your industry or location. You can also use your blog to promote new services, product sales, or upcoming events so your clients can stay involved in your business.

Every client these days has an opinion and, whether good or bad, they want to share that opinion. Offering questionnaires & surveys to your customers helps them feel involved in your company and lets them express their needs and wants.

If your website is built in WordPress offer beautiful blog templates that are simple to set up and easy to keep updated. Make it easy for your clients and potential customers to follow you online by linking your Facebook, Twitter, or other social media accounts to your blog.

When you design and offer surveys to your customers, be sure to show them their opinions are valued by taking steps to implement their suggestions where viable, or by offering to remedy any negative situation they may share with you.

Also, invite your clients and prospective readers to post their comments and make sure you respond to them in a timely manner so your customers feel their opinions are valued.

Social Media There is no denying social media influences everyone. When you invite your customers to interact with your business through social media like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram you keep your name top of mind while gaining valuable insight into your clients’ needs and wants. Be sure to encourage your employees to post and share on social media whenever possible. Remember, if you are not retaining your customers, you are losing them. By implementing these 4 valuable customer retention strategies, you will continue to build your business by taking a proactive role in influencing your personal chef clients’ desire to stay with you. To learn more about these and other ways to grow your personal chef business online contact us today at www.MarketLoyal.com.

28 | Personal Chef

ARUGULA SALAD WITH SABATINO TARTUFI LEMON OIL Serves 4

FOOD

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons Sabatino Tartufi Lemon Oil 3 ounces fresh arugula 1/8 teaspoon salt 1 ounce thinly sliced Parmesan ½ green apple, thinly sliced 1 lemon wedge, optional

DIRECTIONS • • • •

In a large bowl, whisk together the lemon olive oil, salt, and optional fresh lemon juice. Add the arugula, and toss to coat. Arrange the thinly sliced apples on the bottom of each plate, and top with the arugula. With a very sharp knife or a vegetable peeler, shave the Parmesan into large shavings and arrange them on the arugula.

USPCA members can use the code USPCAQ117 to receive 25% off all orders from www.sabatinotruffles.com Personal Chef | 29

VOLUNTEERING: WHO IS THE REAL WINNER? I have been a Personal Chef in the Philadelphia area for four years. I have been fortunate to have developed a wonderful base of clients (after some weeding out!) who challenge me to deliver tasty, low-fat, low-salt, low-carb meals week after week. Many of you also find great satisfaction in this profession and can totally relate.

CHEF STORY

Like any career, there are some downsides to being a Personal Chef. One of the biggest hurdles I have encountered is the amount of time I am alone. In my previous life, I was in corporate America and was always on the phone, going to meetings, seeing clients, coaching and counseling others – i.e. surrounded by a team of people to bounce ideas off, celebrate successes with, and rally together when a challenge was presented. My USPCA membership has been a fabulous way to help me feel a part of a team. My fellow Philadelphia chapter members have always been there to talk through an issue, inspire me to be my best, and I always leave our meetings and get-togethers with ideas and a smile. My entire adult life, I have found volunteering to be another way to connect with people. I get so much out of my time teaching and helping others, I’m not sure who is the greatest benefactor. I’d like to highlight the two agencies I have been working with. The first one is Kitchen Cred, and I must thank USPCA Philadelphia chapter President, Missy Gurmankin, for getting me involved in this worthwhile cause. Missy works tirelessly organizing curriculums, planning meetings, enlisting chefs,

30 | Personal Chef

recruiting and engaging sponsors, etc. Kitchen Cred’s purpose is to help middle and high school students develop self-esteem and leadership and life skills through culinary activities – nutrition, food preparation, and healthy living lessons. My primarily role has been to be a teaching chef at their events. The satisfaction I get, when watching the MICHELE BAGLEY kids prepare their recipes, and learn that fast food is not their only meal option, member since 2014 is immense. We also sit down with kids and eat together – this has turned into a valuable opportunity to learn more about the kids’ interests, ambitions, and to answer their questions. Vetri Cooking Lab, a part of Vetri Community Partnership, is the other local non-profit I am involved with. We go into schools for eight weeks each semester and work with kids on nutrition, reading food package information, knife skills, recipe reading and preparation and again, sitting down at the end of the session and eat as a family. Most of these children are from challenging home situations and many of them have never eaten fresh fruits and vegetables. I know you may be thinking – ‘I am so busy, I could never find the time to do volunteer work’ and I really understand this. I usually spend four hours or less a week on volunteering (including drive time). Not much, but enough to keep me connected to others and feel like I might be encouraging teens to learn new skills. If you want to consider becoming a volunteer, I suggest looking on the web for organizations in your area or ask a restaurant chef what they suggest. Many chefs are involved in charities. One final bonus volunteering has – it is an excellent networking opportunity!

THE MYSTERIOUS UNDERWORLD OF THE MONTEREY BAY ABALONE FARM It was a beautiful sunny day in Monterey Bay where the San Francisco Bay Area Chapter met at the very end of the Municipal Wharf #2. On this very same wharf John Steinbeck walked while looking for a boat to take him and Ed “Doc” Ricketts to the Sea of Cortez in 1940. Chef Bourget coordinated this Chapter field trip where we learned all about Abalone farming.

Art’s farm raises thousands of these sea creatures, once a plentiful gourmet treat on Coastal California, but are now so rare that they are banned from commercial fishing and restaurants can charge as much as $45 for a plate of sea snails.

CHEF STORY

SEAVEY VINEYARD WINES, ABALONE AND POT LUCK FEAST

mature. Plus, we learned first hand how time consuming After our tour, Chef Bourget led the Chapter to her they are to prepare. And if that fiancée’s family summer home located in Seaside adjacent to wasn’t enough, Art Seavey gave Monterey Bay. There, Art taught us how to shuck, clean and tenderize the abalone we purchased. Then, Chefs Bourget ABALONE FARM TOUR As our group of ten entered the small and Dawn Buchholz demonstrated how to convection office inside the Monterey Abalone steam the prepared abalone. Company we saw papers, shells, and instruments scattered about. Whilst After the pounding and shucking lessons, we gained a new listening to our host Art Seavey, appreciation for the high price of abalone as they are difficult owner and master abalone farmer, and labor intensive to raise and can take up to seven years to one couldn’t help but notice the large trapdoor in the middle of the wooden CHEF GARBO floor. Soon, all eyes were fixed on Art member since 2004 as he demonstrated how to descend through the trapdoor on a bolt upright, us a wine tasting flight from his wet and steely ladder leading to the very own family winery named dark and cavernous underworld of the Seavey Vineyard located in the abalone farm beneath the pier. Napa Valley. They’re known for producing world-class, ageWe all followed Art down, very worthy Cabernet Sauvignon, carefully, one by one. It was gloomy Chardonnay, and Merlot. and the planks were weeping all According to Robert Parker, around us. There was a salty smell in the Seavey family has…“The the air that was both fishy and animal. most underrated great Cabernet A pathway of planks lead to the end produced in Napa Valley....with of the pilings. We heard pigeons perhaps the best second label cooing above, while a cacophony of wine in Napa, the Caravina barks and splashes erupted from the Cabernet…keep in mind I have darkness within. As we walked the Seaveys going back to 1990 in narrow slippery planks we saw large my cellar.” Robert Parker, Wine shapes emerge and discovered that we Critic, The Wine Advocate, had startled the California sea lions December 2008. lounging among the perilous pathways. They raised their heads, provoked With all the goings on in the by our disturbance, and continued kitchen, we managed to get our their deafening clamor. Eventually pot-luck dishes onto the dining they shuffled off like drunken sailors room table and engaged in a lumbering into the murky waters as lively and fantastic feast paired they were clearly done with us. with wonderful wines and good cheer. It was an ambitious and Unbeknownst to the tourists educational field trip that Chef sauntering overhead, there is a vast sea Bourget finessed quite elegantly. farm of 150,000 abalone being raised and harvested beneath the wharf. A We walked away with our bellies recent article published by the Earth full and our minds enriched Island Journal described Art Seavey’s by a truly remarkable day of unique operation thusly… “Sturdy adventure and learning from mesh cages hang in the sea from a both Elizabeth Bourget and Art network of beams. There are 150 to Seavey. 6,000 abalone per cage, depending on the size of the shells within. A system We can’t thank them enough! of pulleys and ropes is in place to lift the cages out of the water. The enclosures protect the abalone and mollusks from the marauding sea otters who constantly circle in search ART SEAVEY EXPLAINING EACH YEAR IN THE of snacks.” LIFE OF THE ABALONE

“IT WAS GLOOMY AND THE PLANKS WERE WEEPING ALL AROUND US. THERE WAS A SALTY SMELL IN THE AIR THAT WAS BOTH FISHY AND ANIMAL.”

Personal Chef | 31

RECIPES

LOBSTER MAC & CHEESE Shericka Dyer, The Girl & The Guy’s Kitchen

I catered wedding a few years back for a Pescatarian who did not want to serve protein like steak or chicken to her guests. She wanted something decadent and filling with seafood. What can be better than lobster, the best cheeses, heavy cream and a hint of nutmeg. INGREDIENTS

2 cups cooked lobster (my preference is claw meat) 1 lb. penne pasta (cook pasta per instruction of box or until al dente) 3 tbsp. flour 1 tsp. nutmeg 3 tbsp. flour 3 cups of milk ¼ cup Gruyère cheese ¼ cup parmigiana-reggiano cheese ¼ cup asiago cheese

DIRECTIONS • • • •

In a saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Once butter is melted add flour while stirring and allow to cook for about 1 to 2 minutes (you do not want the butter and flour mixture to brown). Slowly add milk while whisking to prevent lumps. Once you have added all of the milk and sauce begins to thicken, add nutmeg. At this point you can begin to add one cheese at a time. Remember to keep stirring during this process. Once all cheese is added add salt and pepper to taste. Immediately pour your cheese sauce over your pasta while its warm and fold in lobster at this time. Once lobster is incorporated pasta is ready to serve. Not that it’s needed but I love to serve this with a warm crusty bread such as a baguette.

Pair Truffle Seasoning with your favorite recipes! USPCA members can use the code USPCAQ117 to receive 25% off all orders from www.sabatinotruffles.com

32 | Personal Chef

ROASTED GULF GROUPER WITH SEAFOOD RISOTTO & CITRUS BURRE BLANC Christiana Scott, WILDBERRY, Boulder, CO

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons canola oil 4 (6- to 7-ounce) skinless grouper fillets Kosher salt Freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS • • • • • •

Preheat oven to 450°. Prepare Seafood Risotto and Citrus Beurre Blanc; cover, and keep warm. Heat oil in an oven-safe, nonstick skillet over high heat. Sprinkle grouper with salt and pepper. Place fish in pan, and reduce heat to medium. Cook 2 minutes. Transfer skillet to oven, and bake 6 minutes or until fish is just cooked through. Serve over Seafood Risotto and Citrus Beurre Blanc.

SEAFOOD RISOTTO

Recipe adapted from Cooking Light Magazine 2 servings (serving size: about 1 1/4 cups)

INGREDIENTS

2 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth 1 (8-ounce) bottle clam juice 2 teaspoons butter 1/4 cup chopped shallots 1/2 cup uncooked Arborio rice 1/8 teaspoon saffron threads, crushed 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 1/2 cup grape tomatoes, halved 4 ounces medium shrimp, peeled and deveined 4 ounces bay scallops 2 tablespoons whipping cream Chopped fresh parsley (optional)

DIRECTIONS • •

•

Bring broth and clam juice to a simmer in a medium saucepan (do not boil). Keep warm over low heat. Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add shallots to pan; cook 2 minutes or until tender, stirring frequently. Add rice and saffron to pan; cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Add lemon juice to pan; cook 15 seconds, stirring constantly. Stir in 1/2 cup hot broth mixture; cook 2 minutes or until the liquid is nearly absorbed, stirring constantly. Add remaining broth mixture, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly until each portion of broth is absorbed before adding the next (about 18 minutes total). Stir in tomatoes; cook for 1 minute. Stir in shrimp and scallops; cook for 4 minutes or until shrimp and scallops are done, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; stir in cream. Sprinkle with parsley, if desired.

CITRUS BEURRE BLANC INGREDIENTS

1 cup finely sliced shallots 2 cups dry white wine 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar 1/2 teaspoon whole black peppercorns 1 bay leaf 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 1 tablespoon orange juice 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice 1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into pieces Kosher salt Freshly ground white pepper

DIRECTIONS • •

Combine first 8 ingredients in a 2-quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook 15 to 20 minutes or until liquid has almost evaporated. Reduce heat to low; gradually add butter, 1 piece at a time, whisking after each addition, until melted. Strain mixture through a fine wire-mesh strainer, discarding solids. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Recipes adapted from Coastal Living Magazine

Personal Chef | 33

HOMEMADE PUMPKIN OATMEAL

Corey Reed, The HomeMade Chef, LLC., Lake Mary, FL Servings: 4-6

INGREDIENTS

2-Quart pot recommended 1 cup Water 2 cups Almond Milk 1 cup Evaporated Milk ½ Tsp Vanilla extract 3 Tbsp Butter 1-2 dashes nutmeg ½ Tsp Pumpkin spice 1 Tsp Cinnamon ½ Tsp Salt ½ cup Light Brown sugar ½ cup of pure pumpkin 2 cups Old Fashion Oats =1 ½ cups ground oats

DIRECTIONS • • • • •

•

• •

Using a 2-Qt pot on medium heat, add all liquids. Let simmer for 3-4 minutes. Do not let it boil. Add butter, let it melt. Give a whisk or two. Add nutmeg, pumpkin spice, cinnamon- whisking in one at a time. Add salt, give a whisk or two. Turn the heat down to low. Spoon in brown sugar to avoid splashing. Continue to whisk. Add ground oatmeal to mixture slowly, whisking it in. Let it cook for 4-5 minutes, whisking throughout. Add pumpkin and whisk slowly. Let cook for 2 more minutes. Bowl and enjoy.

Tips: Whisk in the powders separately to avoid clumping. Use a food processor to grind your oats to a fine consistency.

34 | Personal Chef

SHRIMP ALFREDO FETTUCCINE

Eric Dunsen, E.A.F. Meals, White Marsh, MD

INGREDIENTS

1 pound shrimp 1 pound fettuccine noodles 1/2 stick of butter or margarine 4 ounces zucchini 4 squash 1/2 medium size red onion, julienned 1 clove garlic-minced 2 cups heavy cream 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese 1 tablespoon of old bay seasoning (salt and pepper to taste if needed)

DIRECTIONS • • • •

• •

Cook off fettuccine noodles, drain and set to the side. Place a medium to large fry pan on stove for 3 to 4 minutes or until extremely hot. Put butter in pan and let the butter melt to about the halfway point and then add the garlic, shrimp, zucchini, squash, and red onions. Sprinkle about half of the old bay seasoning on ingredients. Move the ingredients around in the pan in the hot butter until the rest of the butter melts or for about 3 minutes. It is important to note at this point that half of the butter is needed to saute the ingredients and the other half is used to cream the sauce. Put heavy cream in pan and let come to boil. This will come to a boil very quickly and when the boiling process begins add the grated Parmesan cheese. Stir this until the Parmesan cheese is incorporated into the heavy cream and then add the fettuccine noodles. The fettuccine will absorb the liquid in the pan really quickly. When the liquid in the pan reduces by two thirds the cooking process is complete. Garnish with diced tomatoes, parsley, and the rest of the old bay seasoning.

FRESH MANGO COCONUT CHIA SEED PARFAIT Deb Cantrell, Savor Culinary Services

INGREDIENTS

1 14 oz. can coconut milk 6 tbsp chia seeds 5 tbs shredded coconut (unsweetened) 5-6 tbsp maple syrup (adjust amount depending on preference) 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or vanilla bean paste) Fresh mango, diced and chilled

DIRECTIONS • • •

In a bowl, combine the coconut milk, chia seeds, shredded coconut, maple syrup and vanilla extract (or vanilla bean paste). Whisk until well combined. Let the mixture sit for about 30 minutes at room temperature. Mix once more, cover, and refrigerate for at least 3 hours (for best results, refrigerate overnight).

ZUCCHINI FRITTERS

Julianne Zepeda, Simply Delicious, Dinner at Home

INGREDIENTS

4 small zucchini 2/3 cup all-purpose flour 2 large eggs, lightly beaten 3 green onions Vegetable oil

DIRECTIONS

Place the shredded zucchini in a colander set over a bowl and sprinkle the zucchini lightly with salt. Allow the zucchini to stand for 10 minutes. Using your hands, squeeze out as much liquid from the zucchini as possible. Transfer the zucchini to a large bowl. Add the flour, eggs, sliced scallions, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper to the bowl, stirring until the mixture is combined. Line a plate with paper towels. Liberally coat the bottom of a large sauté pan with vegetable oil and place it over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, scoop 3 tablespoon mounds of the zucchini mixture into the pan, pressing them lightly into rounds and spacing them at least 2 inches apart. Cook the zucchini fritters for 2 to 3 minutes, then flip them once and cook an additional 2 minutes until golden brown and cooked throughout. Transfer the zucchini fritters to the paper towel-lined plate and immediately sprinkle them with salt. Repeat the scooping and cooking process with the remaining zucchini mixture. Serve the zucchini fritters topped with sour cream (optional) and sliced scallions.

• •

•

Remove the bowl with the pudding from the fridge about 15 minutes prior to serving. Layer some pudding into the bottom each of 2 or 3 serving glasses. Layer some diced fresh mango on top of the pudding layer. Alternate layers of chia pudding and freshly diced mango until glasses are filled to the top, ending with freshly diced mango. Top with some shredded coconut and serve immediately or keep in the fridge until ready to serve. Personal Chef | 35

STEAK PANZANELLA SALAD Laura Taylor, Honest to Goodness, LLC, Seattle, WA Serves: 4 Adjusted – original recipe courtesy of Kate Jackson

This is a simple dish with few ingredients and lots of flavor. The sauce, inspired by Melissa Clark’s pasta with burst cherry tomatoes, is incredibly sweet and wraps itself around each nugget of couscous in the most delicious way. Cherry tomatoes break down in a hot pan in about five minutes, collapsing just enough to release some juice, which quickly thickens and caramelizes a bit. You want the tomatoes to stay partially intact so that you don’t just get skins floating in sauce, but you need to cook them long enough to achieve the caramelized flavor that makes a tomato sauce sweet.

INGREDIENTS

1 pound strip steak (you can sub in your favorite alternate cut of steak if you like) 2 cups French bread, cubed 4 tablespoons olive oil Sea salt and fresh ground pepper 3-4 large tomatoes, cut into wedges 1 small cucumber, cut into small slices ½ small red onion, diced 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar ½ cup chopped fresh basil

DIRECTIONS

SALTED ROSEMARY “SNACKERS”

Martha Ruch, Simply Delicious Personal Chef Service, Worcester, MA This gluten-free snack cracker is a nice treat to make for clients who cannot eat wheat, and also fits Paleo diets. Note: NOT suitable for nut-free clients. (Makes about 2 dozen crackers, the size of Wheat Thins.)

INGREDIENTS

2 cups Bob’s Red Mill Almond Flour 3/4 teaspoon coarse sea salt 1 1/2 T. dried rosemary 1 T. olive oil 2 T. water

DIRECTIONS • • • • • • • •

Preheat oven to 400 and line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. Heat grill to high and cook steak to your liking - about 3 minutes per side for medium rare. Let the steak rest under foil while you prepare the remaining ingredients. Toss bread cubes with 1 tablespoon olive oil and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Place on prepared baking sheet and toast in the oven until golden. Slice steak into bite sized cubes and add to large bowl. Add bread cubes, tomato, cucumber and onion. Shake remaining oil and vinegar together in a small jar with a pinch of salt and pepper. Pour over salad and toss. Add basil and toss again. Let the salad sit for about 15 minutes so the flavors can combine and then serve.

36 | Personal Chef

• • • •

Combine first three ingredients in a bowl. Drizzle oil and water over the ingredients and mix with a spoon or spatula until the dough clings together in a large ball. Place the dough ball on a rectangle of parchment paper. Place a similar size piece of parchment paper on top of the ball and use a rolling pin to roll the dough out until it’s very thin. Remove the top piece of parchment paper and discard. Cut the dough into squares and slide the parchment holding the dough squares onto a baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes, or until light golden brown. Let cool at least 10 minutes before serving. These are best served soon after being baked.

ELEGANT CHICKEN BROCCOLI CREPES WITH SWISS CHEESE MUSHROOM SAUCE Marie Wilson, In Home Dining by Marie, Houston, TX Serves 6

INGREDIENTS

12 each Calorie Counter’s Crepes (See ingredients below) 1/4 cup onion chopped 1/4 cup water 1 cup skim milk 2 tablespoons cornstarch 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt 1/8 teaspoon pepper 1 cup Swiss cheese, shredded 8 ounces sliced mushrooms vegetable cooking spray 1 clove minced garlic 2 cups cooked chicken, finely chopped 1/4 teaspoon poultry seasoning 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder 10 ounces frozen (or fresh) chopped broccoli, cooked and drained minced parsley

CALORIE COUNTER’S CREPES 1 cup all-purpose flour 1 1/2 cups skim milk 1 egg 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt vegetable cooking spray

DIRECTIONS

Prepare Calorie Counter’s Crepes set aside. Prepare Cheese Sauce: In a saucepan, combine onion and water. Cook, covered, 5 minutes. Do not drain. Combine milk, cornstarch, salt and pepper; add to onion. Cook and stir until thick and bubbly, then cook for 1 minute more. Add cheese; stir to melt. Remove from heat. Reserve 1/2 cup of the cheese sauce mixture. Meanwhile: Sauté the mushrooms and garlic in cooking spray (or a small amount of EVOO or butter). Lightly season with a sprinkle of salt. Add sautéed mushrooms to the remaining cheese sauce. Cover, and set aside. For the Filling: You can use deli roasted chicken, or poach a couple of chicken breasts. Finely chop in a food processor. Season to taste - I use poultry seasoning, garlic powder and salt.

Combine the chicken, broccoli, and the 1/2-cup of reserved cheese sauce to create the crepe filling. Adjust seasonings, if needed. To assemble: Spoon about 1/4 cup filling on the unbrowned side of each crepe; roll up. Arrange in serving containers for a chef cook day; or in a 13 x 9 x 2 baking dish to bake family-style. Spoon warm mushroom-cheese sauce over filled crepes. Garnish with minced parsley and extra shredded cheese, if desired. Client Heating Instructions: (Not necessary to bake.) Microwave single servings for a couple of minutes, or until hot throughout. Optional Baking Instructions: Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 20 minutes if preparing immediately; or, if refrigerated, bake 30-40 minutes to heat through. To Prepare Crepes • In a bowl, combine the flour, milk, egg and salt; beat with a rotary beater until blended. • Heat a 6-inch nonstick skillet or crepe pan - spray with cooking spray. Remove from heat; spoon in about 2 tablespoons of batter (or enough to coat the bottom). Lift and tilt skillet to spread batter. • Return to heat; brown on one side only. Invert pan over paper toweling; remove crepe. Repeat to make about 12 crepes. Separate each crepe with waxed paper in-between. • To freeze, Over-wrap the stacked crepes in a moistureproof bag or foil, then place in a plastic container. Freeze up to 4 months. Thaw crepes before using. Chef ’s notes: This recipe works well with zucchini in place of broccoli; mushrooms are optional; different cheeses work well, too.

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FISH TACOS, GUACAMOLE, AND SALSA

Chef Susan Ytterberg, Golden Plum Personal Chef Services, LLC, Longwood, FL Make use of Florida’s bounty! Imagine fresh, line-caught fish, grilled; then building the ultimate taco with roasted Salsa, freshly made guacamole, shredded cabbage, green onions and cojito cheese topped off with a lime wedge! What’s fun about this meal is how quickly it comes together, and how fun it is to eat. You’ll grill your fish, mash your guac, and roast your veggies for a great salsa. Then the fun begins when you put your tacos together. Place your ingredients in colorful bowls and assemble them buffet style on the table for everyone to create their own taco. No taco would be complete without the extras so be sure to have extra shredded cabbage, lime wedges, corn tortillas or taco shells, chopped green onions & cojito or cheddar cheese for your taco buffet!

FISH TACOS

GUACAMOLE

ROASTED SALSA

*Preheat Grill to 400°

INGREDIENTS

*Preheat oven to 400°

Serves 4

Note: Hey, if you don’t have an outdoor grill, no worries! Don’t let that stop you from making these awesome tacos! Use your indoor grill pan on the stove to cook your fish or if you have a George Foreman Electric Grill, that works wonders too.

3 ripe avocados 2 tbsp chopped cilantro 1 large chopped tomato ¼ cup chopped onions 1 jalapeno finely chopped, seeds & white membrane removed 1/8 tsp ground white pepper ½ tsp salt

INGREDIENTS

DIRECTIONS

1.5 lbs. Fresh, line-caught fish- Tilapia, Cod, Halibut or any favorite 1 tsp ground red chili or paprika ¼ tsp Kosher salt 2 tbsp olive oil Juice of 2 limes

DIRECTIONS • • •

Rinse fish and pat dry. Place in bowl and squeeze lime juice over fish and spread olive oil over fish as well. Sprinkle salt and chili or paprika on top. Allow to marinate for 20 minutes. Grill 6 minutes per side or until cooked through. Remove from heat and place on service platter for guests to portion out for their tacos.

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•

Cut avocados in half and remove pit. Then using a spoon, scoop out the avocado from the skin and place in bowl. Mash with fork til fairly smooth with just a few lumps. Add all remaining ingredients and mix together. Serve with tacos

Serves 4

Note: If you’re in a hurry and don’t have time to roast your veggies for the salsa, it’s okay! Just mix in bowl and serve.

INGREDIENTS

3 tomatoes, quartered and roughly chopped 2 tomatillos, quartered chopped 1/3 cup chopped cilantro 1 jalapeno finely chopped, seeds & white membrane removed 1 garlic clove minced 2 tbsp EVOO Salt & Pepper

DIRECTIONS • • •

Place all chopped ingredients in a bowl, mix until coated with the olive oil. Spread on baking sheet that has been lined with foil and sprayed with vegetable oil. Place in preheated oven and roast for 20 to 30 minutes. Remove from heat and place salsa in bowl to enjoy with tacos.

FILET MIGNON WITH BACON Moris Valle, DON MORRIS EXPRESS CORP. 4 servings

INGREDIENTS

4 6oz Filets Mignons 4 strips smoked bacon smoked 1 tablespoon crushed black pepper ½ tablespoon coarse salt 2 tablespoons oil 1 tablespoon butter ½ tablespoon shallots, chopped fine ½ teaspoon flour ½ cup beef stock ½ cup marsala wine

DIRECTIONS

Put the bacon around each Filet Mignon and secure it with a toothpick. Then add salt and crushed pepper to each filet on both sides. Heat a frying pan with oil, then place the filets one at a time and wait for them to sear. Turn the filets and place them in the oven at 400 degrees for 6 to 8 minutes for medium and 8-10 for well done. For the sauce: Add butter, shallots, and flour to a pan. Stir continuously with a wooden spoon. When the butter is completely melted, add the marsala and beef stock. Cook until the sauce starts to boil and reduce temperature. Stir occasionally until the sauce is reduced by half. Serve with mashed potatoes and vegetables of your choice as seen in the picture.

FEIJOADA

Todd Ellersick, Personal Chef/Owner, Dinner Du Jour LLC Serves 6 This is a recipe that I’ve been making lately for myself and for clients. It’s Brazil’s national dish, and with the Olympics having been in Rio this summer, I thought it might be appropriate to share with everyone.

INGREDIENTS

1 2 lb. pork shoulder, cut into 1” chunks 1 lb. pork chorizo 1 green bell pepper, small diced 1 red bell pepper, small diced 1 yellow onion, small diced 3 garlic cloves, minced 1 bunch of cilantro, finely chopped 2 15 oz. cans of black beans, drained and rinsed 1 ½ cups of vegetable or chicken broth 1 ½ tsp. liquid smoke 2 tsp. ground coriander 2 tsp. ground cumin 1 tsp. red pepper flakes Salt and pepper to taste 1 T olive oil

DIRECTIONS • • • •

• • • • •

Pre-heat the oven to 375 Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Pat the pieces of pork dry with a paper towel and season liberally with salt and pepper. In batches, brown the pork on all sides, 7-8 minutes. Set pork aside. Add the peppers and onions to the Dutch oven and cook until soft and begging to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for one minute more. Add the chorizo and spices cook until well browned. Next, add black beans, broth and liquid smoke and browned pork, season with salt and pepper. Cover and bake in the oven for 45 minutes. After 45 minutes, remove from the oven and stir in half of the cilantro. Cover and bake for 30 minutes more, 15 minutes with the lid on, 15 minutes with the lid removed. Serve with remaining cilantro.

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RECIPES IN THIS ISSUE • Arugula Salad with Sabatino Tartufi Lemon Oil, page 29 • Elegant Chicken Broccoli Crepes with Swiss Cheese Mushroom Sauce, page 37 • Feijoada, page 39 • Filet Mignon with Bacon, page 39 • Fish Tacos, Guacamole, and Salsa, page 38 • Homemade Pumpkin Oatmeal, page 34 • Lobster Mac & Cheese, page 32 • Mango Coconut Chia Seed Parfait, page 35 • Roasted Gulf Grouper with Seafood Risotto & Citrus Burre Blanc, page 33 • Salted Rosemary “Snickers”, page 36 • Shrimp Alfredo Fettuccine, page 34 • Steak Panzanella Salad, page 36 • Zucchini Fritters, page 35

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