I’ve never hired a personal chef before, how does this thing work?

We’ll chat on the phone to see if we’d be a good fit, and I’ll come meet your kitchen to get familiar with where I’d be working. After we settle on a service plan and sign a contract, we can get started on the fun bit! I’ll send you a proposed menu a couple days before your service date, you get to make any changes or requests you want, and then on the day of your service I’ll grocery shop, prepare all the food in your kitchen, package it up so it’s ready to eat, clean up, and leave you with a printed page with instructions. All you have to do is reheat and go!

What kind of food do you make?

The delicious kind! I draw from cuisines all over the world and make a lot of fusion food. Using techniques from Chinese cooking to make your tacos tastier, and mixing in Middle Eastern flavors to punch up the casserole, I like to use all the tools in my belt to make the best food I can for your family. I am happy to mix it up every week if you are craving variety, or stick to tried and true favorites you know you like. I love it when clients send me an old family recipe just as much as an inventive recipe they saw on Instagram.

What parts of Chicago do you work in?

I’m based in Logan Square and for regular clients I primarily work within an 8-mile radius of my home as I try to keep it low-carbon and am primarily a bike-commuter! If you’re looking for special event catering, cooking lessons, holiday feasts, or other one-off or short term services I’m happy to make a longer trek including out to the suburbs.

I am a picky eater and am worried about spending money on something I won’t like.

I get it! It can be hard to find food that works for us, and it’s also stressful to order out when there aren’t many ‘safe’ foods. It is one of the greatest honors when I get to help clients find joy in food again. The beginning is always a little bit of an adjustment but with a little feedback from you I am very good at adjusting to your needs and tastes.

I have XYZ dietary restriction, do you work with that?

I often come in when someone has just gotten new health information they’re struggling to adapt to or is at the end of their rope with figuring out to feed themselves in ways that makes their body feel good. I have a lot of experience working with complex dietary needs (including low-FODMAP, Whole30, kosher, vegan/vegetarian, and many different allergies), and am happy to work directly with your dietician or nutritionist to craft a plan that works for you. I source ingredients from grocery stores you already know and love, choosing organic, free-range, grass-fed, etc to suit your taste!

What are cooking lessons with you like?

Cooking classes are either entirely customizable, or I have a menu of my classic offerings depending on whether you're interested in 1:1, date nights, or group lessons. I like to get an idea of what sorts of things you want to learn (whether general confidence in the kitchen, specific skills, a particular cuisine or recipe, delving deeply into a particular ingredient or cookbook, a couple of easy and impressive meals to share, etc) and then design a lesson or series of lessons around that. In the kitchen, I'm a very collaborative teacher and prefer to be in conversation with folks rather than lecture/demo style. You should walk away after a fun and engaging lesson with a greater sense of confidence in your own abilities, a few new tools in your belt, and some new recipes to practice!

Wait…hold on…Low-carbon bike commute? Even in the Chicago winter? With groceries?

Yep! My bike is outfitted with a trailer, fenders, non-skid tires, and everything else I need to get through any weather with your groceries intact. I’ll park my bike in your side yard (or wherever else is convenient), change out of my bike gear, and get to work in your kitchen.