About: Philosophy

Many people make one of two mistakes about cooking: they either throw things on a plate with little flair or love, or they worry too much about doing cooking dishes just right. I have a very different approach. Cooking isn’t about what’s on the plate; it’s about the relationships we enjoy with the people sitting at the table. What we cook and how we cook is simply an expression of our love for them—not flippant and rushed, and never a burden. Every step of the meal should be a joy; from planning, to shopping, to crafting, to the actual dining, and then cleaning up. These can all be delights when we enjoy interaction with those we love.

I believe we should look for the freshest ingredients from the nearest farms and ranches to our homes. Every community has wonderful local markets. Roadside vendors sell produce that came right out of the fields that morning. We don’t need to be graduates of Cordon Bleu to be great cooks. When we have fresh ingredients and add a little love, we can serve delicious.

Mistakes can be a positive experience. No matter how gifted a cook someone may be, we all experience an ‘oops’ once in a while. One of the biggest challenges to any cook is to respond with grace and creativity when the plan changes. Keep in mind that our purpose for cooking is to create a warm, relaxing atmosphere for those we love.