But after unpacking their grocery bags, the Orsolinis were
stumped as to how to transform their purchases into
nutritionally balanced meals that Max — and they and their
now five-year-old daughter Nicole — would like. So they
hired
a cook to do the job. The Orsolinis, of Great Falls, Virginia, are one of an
estimated 72,000 North American households using the
services of personal chefs, cooks who come to clients’
homes to
prepare meals. Some have formal training as chefs; others
are
self-taught. According to the American Personal Chef
Association (APCA) estimates, there are some 10,000
personal
chefs in the United States — 4,000 of whom are members.
The
organization expects the number of chefs to rise to nearly
25,000, and the number of clients to 300,000, within five
years. Fueling the trend, says Candace Wallace, APCA’s founder
and
a personal chef in San Diego, is a growing realization
that
our fast-paced, fast-food lifestyles may not be the
healthiest
and a renewed appreciation for food that doesn’t come from
a jar. For clients with food allergies, sensitivities or
those on
medically prescribed diets, “to be able to eat at home and
have peace of mind, knowing food was prepared specifically
for you, it’s pretty much a no-brainer,” says Jennifer
Howe,
the Orsolinis’ personal chef and owner of Food Therapy
Personal Chef Service.
The personal chef concept wasn’t new to the Orsolinis,
who’d considered it on and
|
off in the past, but Max’s diagnosis gave them
strong incentive. The couple found “Chef Jennifer” through the Internet, and
they subsequently met for an hour’s consultation.
Howe asked about the family’s needs and food
preferences and learned that they also didn’t want any
ingredients to come from aluminum cans. They preferred
organic foods, including meats. After that initial
meeting, the
couple felt they’d found a match. Although Howe hadn’t
cooked gluten- and casein-free before, she had extensive
experience with special diets for clients with kidney
failure,
diabetes, allergies and cancer, among other conditions.
“She
seemed really excited by the challenge. "We were comfortable
that we weren’t going to have any issues with her
understanding the importance of keeping those ingredients
out of the food,” says David Orsolini.
Howe now cooks for the Orsolinis every other week. After
the couple approves each proposed menu via e-mail, she
shops for the ingredients and brings them — along with her
own pots, pans and tools — to their home. In about four
hours, she prepares five meals with four servings of each.
In the ’fridge and freezer they go, to be heated when
desired. Max’s favorites include “confetti burritos” with
beans, sweet potatoes, peppers, corn and onions.
Gluten-free chicken nuggets with coconut alongside sweet
potato fries and green beans are also a hit... |
