Gift Ideas for a Chef

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Top picks for 2019 – things my chef and I have fallen in love with, still love from the past and some of which have really surprised us.

  • Protalus insoles – Wish I would have known about these when my chef/husband was on his feet for 16 hours a day and had neuropathy/tingling and numb toes!  I was having severe neuropathy in my feet and these insoles have pretty much taken all the pain away.  They offer a 90 day money back guarantee and this link will get you $20 off your first pair!
  • Air Fryer – My husband bought this because he was curious about the technology and wanted to try it out at the home level to consider a commercial one for the restaurants.  WE LOVE IT!  My goodness….this is a keeper!!
  • ChefSteps Joule Sous Vide – Can I just say that this is the most amazing thing I have ever seen!!!  (See this blog post for more details.)  FYI – My husband bought the Instant Pot Immersion Circulator to see if it would work for small volume in the restaurant because it’s not controlled by a cell phone…don’t buy it.  It’s not powerful enough and your chef will be disappointed.
  • InstantPot – This counter top pressure cooker is AMAZING and my husband and I use it all the time!
  • AeroGarden – We bought this for my husband for his birthday in September!!  It’s amazing and we highly recommend it!!
  • Samsung Note 9 – What about a cell phone update…one with a stylus, so they don’t need to carry around a little note pad to take notes?  We love the Samsung Note 9!
  • Surface Pro 6 – If your chef does a lot of computer work for the restaurant or if they are in a corporate position, this computer is AMAZING.  My husband can’t live without it (and neither can I).
  • Massage Chair – We just bought this and it works really well for the price!!

 

I don’t know about your chef, but when I ask my chef/husband for gift ideas for a holiday he usually doesn’t have many ideas, if any. He always says he doesn’t need anything and really doesn’t have time for much. But of course we still want to get him something. Unfortunately I usually draw a blank when it comes to gift ideas for him.

If you google, “Gifts for a Chef,” you’ll get a bunch of foodie gifts, most of which, chefs would think are rather stupid. Most of them don’t want kitchen “gadgets” as a gift.  (However, they do seem to want cool things for their home kitchens that they use in the restaurant.)

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Day 10 – For the Chef’s Kids (12 Days of Encouragement for the Chef’s Family)

Dear Girls,

12 days of encouragement for the chefs familyI know Christmas time is your favorite time of year.  I love to see your excitement as we drive down the street and see Christmas lights.  I love how you take the time to write a list of things you’d like to get your sisters and friends for Christmas.  I love talking with you each morning at the breakfast table during our morning devotions as we talk about the birth of Jesus. You are all growing up so fast and Daddy and I are so proud of you.

In the midst of all the excitement, I know there are also times of sadness.  You see me tear up when something reminds me of my Mom and rush to give me hugs.  We also miss Daddy a lot this time of year as work is so busy.  (Don’t forget he misses us too.)  I know we talk about it a lot, but I don’t want you to ever forget that he is working hard to provide for us.  (more…)




When Your 4 Year Old Finds Your Chef’s Sharpie

Chefs and Sharpies…two words that go hand in hand.

Rarely will you find a chef without a Sharpie in their pocket, or at least near by.

I get it.  They label things all the time and ask us to do the same at home, right????

Leaving Sharpies around the house and car isn’t that big of a deal unless one goes through the wash and the cap falls off (UGH!!!) or unless you have small children!

Our kids (12, 8 and 7) think a black sharpie is just like a regular washable Crayola black marker.  I’m constantly scrubbing it off the table in our office and reminding them to please, JUST USE A REGULAR MARKER!

Anyways…

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Chef Wives, You Are Not a Single Parent

I wrote the post below back in July, but never published it. Tonight I’m sitting on the bed, wishing my husband was home with us. It’s Cinco de Mayo – the busiest night of the year for his restaurants. We haven’t seen him all week and we miss him. I’m tired. The kids have been arguing while making Mother’s Day cards. (Really?????? I don’t want have to discipline for that!! Ugh!! I really wish he were here to deal with the Mother’s Day card arguing…)

Have you ever referred to yourself as a single parent because of your husband’s career as a chef?

They work a ton of hours.  They are gone the majority if not all of the hours the kids are awake. Because of this, the parenting on the days they work (and sometimes even on their days off) falls on us.

It’s hard.

I get it.

I’m living it.

There are many days our girls do not see my husband because he leaves before or just as they are getting up and gets home just after they are in bed. Having a 1 hour + commute on top of the long hours of a chef is tough. My husband would have to leave work at 5 pm (and then sit in the car for 2 hours because of traffic) to be home to see them for an hour before they go to bed (which is not their best time of day). The mornings, it’s the same. If he doesn’t leave before 6 am, the commute can be almost 2 hours long. There’s really no option for a change of hours, so we find way to work with the schedule the best we can.

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What is it Like to be Married to a Chief Culinary Officer?

This is the final post of this type is this series where we’ve walked through each cooking/chef position in the restaurant kitchen and have learned what it’s like to be married to or date someone in that position.  (Next week I have a post from a Chef who offered to answer the questions.,  YAY!!)

Today, I’ll be answering the same questions.  My husband is currently the Chief Culinary Officer for the Opper Melang restaurant group in Seattle, Washington.

Tell me a little about yourself and your chef (how you met, how long you’ve been together, do you have kids, etc.)

I met my husband when I was 4 and he was 5.  We were high school sweethearts and got married at 20 and 21.  He started working as a line cook about 6 months after we got married.

What position does your chef/cook have in the kitchen?  Briefly describe the size and type of restaurant he is working at (fine dining/casual, size, privately owned or part of a restaurant group, etc.).

My husband is the Chief Culinary Officer of a restaurant group based out of Seattle, Washington.  Currently they have 3 restaurant concepts (Mexican, Southern BBQ and Oyster Bar) and 12 locations, with a plan to open 3-5 a year for a while.  Currently about half of the restaurants are within driving distance.  When he visits the others (which are clumped together in different cities), he travels.  There are two owners and a CEO above him. (more…)