You’re Dating a Chef? Please Read This!

If you’re new to my site, start here.

{This post contains affiliate links. (In non-blogger language, that means I might get a small commission (at no extra cost to you) when you click on some of the links below.)  Thanks for supporting EmulsifiedFamily.com.}

If you just googled, “Dating a chef” and arrived here, welcome.  Welcome to this crazy life of being involved with someone in the culinary industry.

I would guess the reason you googled this topic is because dating a chef is not exactly what you expected it would be.  Perhaps you’re lonely, frustrated by the hours, struggling with finding time to spend together, or even time to talk.

Well guess what?

YOU ARE NOT ALONE!! 

WOOHOO!!

Don’t you feel so much better already?

There are tons of us out there, who are somehow connected to a chef . . . married, dating, parents, siblings, etc.

There are others out there who can relate to the crazy obsession with chef knivesthings for the kitchen and cookbooks.  Nice!! 🙂 (more…)

What Chefs Really Eat at the End of the Day

{This post contains affiliate links. (In non-blogger language, that means I might get a small commission (at no extra cost to you) when you click on some of the links below.)  Thanks for supporting EmulsifiedFamily.com.}

It’s common knowledge that chefs work long hours and are busy preparing food for others. There’s a ton of articles and TV shows telling us what chefs like to cook.

But are these meals that they “like” to prepare what they actually eat themselves?

At the end of a 12-16 hour day or a 70-80 hour work week, do they head into their kitchen at home and start making these meals they’ve told us about on TV and in magazines?

I wonder…

I am personally not a chef but am married to one. Obviously I can’t speak for all chefs in the world as I haven’t met them all. However, having been married to a chef for 18 years and having interacted with quite a few chefs and their wives/husbands and significant others, I think it’s time to be truthful about this topic and put an end to this myth about how chefs eat at home. (more…)

How to Get the Smell Out of Chef Clothes (and Other Laundry)

I will never forget when my chef/husband was promoted from the pantry station to the broiler station.  Of course any promotion is exciting, but the reason I remember it might not be what you think.

(Oh, before I forget, If you’re new to my site, start here and then come back and read the rest of the post.)

Besides the new types of stains on his chef coats which were more difficult to remove (see tips on how to get stains out of chef coats here), the smell of his chef clothes changed DRASTICALLY!!  Ugh!  We lived in a small apartment and he had to leave the dirty chef clothes in the other room each night, or the smell permeated our bedroom!

Stop laughing at me.  I know you’ve had the same problem.  Chef clothes just stink!

For a while, a good wash took care of the smell.  But after a while, the chef pants, chef coats and even the aprons started to keep part of the oily, grimy, kitchen smell.  When that happens, you have to either try another method of cleaning them or have a bonfire in the backyard with them.

So after my successful quest to find the best way to clean white chef coats, I decided to tackle the smelly chef aprons that I could never seem to get the smell out of! (more…)

Reflections on Being Married to a Chef or Dating a Chef on Valentine’s Day

It’s almost here.  The day we’ve all be waiting for.  The day we celebrate our love for each other . . . oh wait . . . the person we love is a chef and is working that night (and all the days around Valentine’s Day).

So what does Valentine’s Day mean to many chef wives and significant others?

A night alone.

Yep.  That pretty much sums it up.  It stinks.  I know. (more…)

How to Clean a Chef Coat

If you’re new to my site, start here.

My husband is an amazing chef.  I love to learn from him and enjoy all the food he makes, but I really dislike washing chef coats.   And when I say dislike, I really mean hate.  

I really have nothing nice to say about chef coats.  They are big and bulky and stains stick to them like super glue.

With each restaurant change (and there have been quite a few as my husband has moved up in his career), come new chef coats and the task of finding what cleaning treatment will work the best for that specific coat.

If you are like me, you have googled, “How to clean a chef coat” on numerous occasions as you struggle to get out those stains that somehow made it past the apron.

You might have also wondered why in the world chef coats are white. (You can read more about that here.)

Below are some suggestions on how to clean a chef coat, compiled by myself and other chefs and their wives/significant others.  (Thanks for the help guys!)

(Also, make sure not to miss my post on how to get the smell out of chef clothes.)

(more…)