Vegtastic Voyages: My Adventures into the Culinary Profession

This summer I had the unique opportunity to move to Solon, Ohio to work full-time in a natural foods bakery and part-time as a healthy personal chef. After graduating with a Humanities degree and working for the prior three months as a hostess and nanny, I jumped at the opportunity to have a change of scenery and a new experience.

My personal chef experience started very serendipitously when my aunt (whose home I was welcomed into for my five month adventure) told me about her friend and neighbor being interested in my services. I met with her, a mother of four children under 13 and a busy career as a VA doctor. I went over a sample meal plan of what I could offer, and she expressed that she wanted healthy meals (with a goal of weight-loss), and a variety of flavors. I jumped right in. Four times a week I did the grocery shopping, researched new recipes, and cooked meals which I delivered to her home before she got home from work. I experimented with different ethnic cuisine, making everything from Indian to Caribbean to Thai cuisine. I used mostly organic ingredients and whenever possible fresh herbs from my aunt's garden. I loved garnishing my meals with her beautiful edible flowers! I tried to make complete meals each time with soup or salad to start, an entree, and a dessert. I photographed all of my creations, but unfortunately my phone's camera did not always produce the most flattering representations. I wanted to share a few of my favorites, with some of the recipes I used to follow!