Fete Lifestyle Magazine November 2015 | Page 33

1.) What was the most memorable dining experience that you’ve ever prepared for a client?

A year ago, while working with one of my first food allergy families. The parents were struggling with how to feed their children and how to use food to treat a disease that their child was battling. After a few months working with both parents and teaching them cooking lessons, I received an email stating that I helped change their lives. They all had dinner together in the dining room that evening and all ate the same thing for the first time in months. The parents were working to get back to a loving and supportive relationship, the kids were all eating the same thing, including the restricted foods, and things seemed as close to “back to normal” as they could be. In this case it wasn't even the specific dish I made for them, but the sentiment of how food can bring families together. Their story and my experience working with them is how my entire business is structured now.

2.) Five essential ingredients that every chef must have in the kitchen are?

Good quality sea salt, unfiltered cold pressed olive oil, rice, onions, parmigiano-reggiano.

3.) What dish are you constantly trying to perfect?

I’m always trying to make the perfect gluten free chocolate chip cookie. I am gluten free and many of my clients are as well, so having the perfect comfort cookie is sometimes all you want!

4.) Name one chef that you would want to prepare your last meal on earth and what would it be?

Dan Barber. Anything vegan that he feels inspired to cook. He is one of the most talented and inspiring chefs in the world. His focus on sustainable food and the cycle of animals/vegetables is unbelievable and is pushing our industry and patrons to be more conscious omnivores.

5.) What is the most addictive tasting dish that you ever ate and who prepared it?

One of the best things I’ve had was at a small little Michelin starred restaurant in the countryside of Munich, nestled between tiny little towns. It was a perfectly prepared hazelnut soufflé with locally harvested wild strawberries and the most glorious strawberry sauce. It has stayed with me for years.

Italian Tuna, White Bean and Parsley Salad

Serves 2-3 as a main course

•1 ½ c. cooked cannelini beans

•½ c. minced parsley

•1 c. packed, roughly chopped baby kale or baby spinach

•3 T. olive oil

•1 ½ T. white balsamic vinegar

•zest from ½ lemon

•12 castelvetrano olives, pitted and roughly chopped

•1 t. red chili flakes

•1 jar oil packed Italian tuna fillets

•pinch of sea salt, to taste

Directions

1.Place the white beans, minced parsley, chopped baby kale, olive oil, white balsamic vinegar, pinch of sea salt, lemon zest, castelvetrano olives and red chili flakes in a bowl and toss together to coat.

2.Taste for seasoning and adjust with either more olive oil or more vinegar.

3.Gently remove the tuna fillets from the jar (I find a fork useful for this) and loosely chunk the tuna. Stir once or twice to incorporate into the bean mixture and enjoy!