Wishing Everyone a Happy Holiday Season

As we wind down the year and head into the final holidays of this year 2013 I want to wish everyone a happy Christmas and New Year.

Don.

How to Get a Fresh Salad from Almost any Restaurant

Some restaurants still make up their salads fresh for you.   If you're lucky they bring the salad to your table and they mix it for you.  You may also find ingredients for a fresh salad at a restaurant with a buffet.  But many restaurants now buy pre-packaged salad mixes in plastic, refrigerated bags.  These pre-made mixes save money and most people won't know they are eating old salad ingredients.

Garlic Goes with Just About Everything

I love garlic.  You'll never have to worry about me becoming a vampire because I always have garlic in my blood.  If vampires hate garlic I am as untasty a meal as they will ever find.

How to Make a Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich

First, find some organic wheat.  Now thresh the wheat and take the grain to a mill.  Now have the grain crushed into flour.

I Want Another John Carter Movie

I am still confused about why "John Carter" failed at the box office.  The movie took in almost $300 million and yet it is remembered for being one of the biggest flops of 2012.  Most movies in 2012 didn't bring in $300 million so why are they better movies than "John Carter"?

How to Tie a Shoe Lace

The following story is true.  We have lived it a billion times over.

A baby smiles at his mother and she reaches down to tie his shoe laces for him.  He has no idea of what a shoe is or why the lace must be tied.  He is simply happy to see his mother.

I Wish I Knew Then What I Know Now

Asking a girl for a date should be easy but for every young man it seems to be a formidable right of passage. I remember the first time I asked a girl to go out with me.  I felt like I needed to ask her permission to ask her out.  She liked me so she helped me along and suggested we go see a movie together.

How to Look Professional at Work and School

School's out and it's time to find a summer job. If you aren't reading this until the fall semester, you're probably looking for a good part-time job while you attend classes. Whether you're going to a job interview, your first day on the job, or your first day of class at the university, it pays to look professional. College students I talk to often don't understand the value of looking well, preferring to go with the stylishly disheveled hair and a pair of flip-flops. What they might not understand just yet is they are sending a message to everyone around them with the image they set for the world.

A Culinary Marvel in Central Asia

I haven't blogged much recently, and for good reason. I was granted two months' vacation by my current employer, and the family made a strong suggestion that I travel somewhere exotic to learn some new food traditions and ingredients to add to my mix. It seems as the kids are growing up and thoughts about college are driving everyone nuts, the parents want to enrich the kids' understanding of world culture. Or maybe they have just grown tired of my food and want me to bring in something new.

I'm a Picky Sleeper

Because I work as a personal chef, I often find myself sleeping over at my client's homes. Since most of my clients have been fairly wealthy, there's usually a spare bedroom or three to choose from. But because I'm such a finicky sleeper, I usually have to bring my own pillows, blankets, sheets, candles, and all sorts of other accessories.

My Favorite Chef Blogs & Websites

Since I'm just starting out on my own food blogging journey, I thought it only appropriate to share a list of my favorite blogs and websites run by other chefs. You're sure to find something you like from this eclectic mix of styles, tastes, and attitudes.

The Easiest Dessert Ever

Dessert is my least-favorite part of any meal. I don't have much of a sweet tooth, I don't generally like the alcohol that's paired with desserts, and my skill-set with pastries, cakes, and other sweets is probably the weakest aspect of my chef skills.

My Dream Restaurant

Clients often ask me why I don't open my own restaurant. The easiest answer comes in the form of an old joke. How do you make a small fortune in the restaurant business? Start with a large fortune. (Insert rimshot.)

The Best Chef Joke Ever

Believe me, I've heard my share of chef jokes. While I have a dozen or so go-to jokes about my profession, the one I'm sharing here is my all-time favorite.

Three Ingredients I Hate

Some people think that chefs love all food - I've actually met people who are shocked to see a skinny chef like me. I'm not exactly a picky eater, it's just that I don't over-indulge, I get regular exercise, and I like to keep my body strong to withstand work days that sometimes stretch as long as 18 solid hours of cooking and service.

My Favorite Wines

I'm not exactly what you'd call an oenophile - that's a fancy word for a person who loves wine. I don't obsess over wine, and I actually prefer a nice dark beer to relax after a hard day in the kitchen. Still, a personal chef has to know his wines just as well as he knows the other tools of his trade.

My Favorite Easy Dinner

Every professional chef I know has a massive list of go-to recipes. Some of us have them memorized, others write them down in a book or on their computer, and no doubt there are chefs out there who never really make the same meal twice. Personally, I like to have my go-to recipes memorized. I'm not great at keeping track of things, so if I did write down my favorite easy dinner recipe, I'm sure I'd just lose it.