Chef@Home brings fine dining to you
By Eliza Price for Metro Magazine
“Wonderful aromas of great cooking linger to tempt you, your refrigerator is full of gourmet meals and your kitchen is left spotless. Easy.”
Yeah, sure. Whatever.
As unlikely as it may seem, it’s the mantra of what Chef Rick Barbata’s personal, “Chef@Home” service. His goal, he said, is to be the person to make people’s lives easier by bringing healthy food and the family connection back around the table.
It may seem extravagant to entertain the idea of having your very own personal chef, but the affordability of the appetizers and entrees on your self-made menu may actually save you money.
Barbata explained, “I’ve seen three bags of groceries cost $300. I can make two weeks worth of meals (20 entrees) for about the same price.”
On the designated cook date, Barbata will arrive at your home with the freshest of groceries, along with his own pantry spice and cooking equipment. You will look through his menu of over 300 entrees and snacks and collaborate on a plan that suits you. Barbata allows his clients to call the shots. “People are sometimes trepidatious about having someone come into their home, but they are always so welcoming,” he said.
One family has taken advantage of Barbata’s knowledge of international foods.
“Right now I am working with one family that has asked for Latin food. So from the moment I walk through the door I can only speak Spanish, which is really helping to teach their children. And it’s a lot of fun!”
Barbata has the experience and talent to cook anything, however you prefer. After growing up in Hollywood and working on movie-sets where he cooked three square meals for thousands, you can imagine he knows how to pay attention to dietary details, be it food allergies, dietary restrictions, vegan preferences or your mother’s favorite recipe.
Nutrition and healthy choices are the focus of his business.
“To ensure a lifetime of health there are some simple things everyone can do, said Barbata. “Stay away from the inside aisles of the supermarket where colorful processed foods live; include produce, beans, whole oats, grains and, (hold onto your seats people) pasta! You have to have carbs and bread in your diet.”
In response to the curiosity of his clients, Barbata will describe his cooking techniques as he prepares each dish. Much like a show you would see on The Food Network, for the six-to-eight hours he is in your kitchen, Barbata will fully inform you so every full belly has a full mind to match.
As of now, Barbata’s favorite cuisine to prepare, are really fast stir-fries. “I like quickness and the simplicity of using only a few ingredients,” he said.
If you are interested in tasting some of his healthy creations visit Sophia’s Bakery on 81 Market Street…
