Article from The Sudbury Star
By Lara Bradley
Published October 8 2003

What's for Dinner?

For the Henri family, this question and the panicky feeling that comes with it starts mid-morning and then extends into early evening.  Julie Henri and her husband will usually exchange two to three calls over their workday concerning dinner. Who's going to pick it up? What will it be?  "I get home at around 6 p.m. I have no time to make a meal?" she said.

Their twins, in Grade 3, have dance and music lessons throughout the week. Tuesdays are particularly bad, with only enough time to pop something into the microwave.

When Henri's brother told her about Jon Schroeder, a personal chef who had just launched a company called Gourmet on the Go, the Henri family decided to give it a try. After all, they were already paying quite a bit for takeout.

After consulting with the family and coming up with a 'kid-friendly' meal plan, Schroeder shopped for the groceries in the morning and then set about cooking 20 individual portions (five family meals) at their home.

When the family got home that day, a chicken asparagus lasagna was in the oven. The rest of the meals were portioned and packaged in the freezer.  "I call him the invisible chef," said Henri. "He did an amazing job. We've enjoyed all the meals."  

The twins even ate the asparagus in the lasagna, so both the parents and the kids were happy with his cuisine. "I consider it an investment," Henri said. "We're already planning our next menu." Henri said "Reheating the frozen meals takes hardly any time - between two and three minutes in the microwave.  "You should see the presentation," she said. "Usually, frozen meals look horrible. But it's like we're in a restaurant."

Schroeder is originally from Sudbury. He took the hotel management and food preparation course at Cambrian College, graduating in 1993. He then spent the next few years developing his skills in both classical and non-classical cuisine in kitchens all over Europe, including Switzerland and Scotland.  In Canada, he honed his skills at the Jasper Park Lodge and the Westin Calgary. Most recently, he worked under two executive chefs who were members of Culinary Team Canada. In March 2002 he decided to move back to Sudbury, taking a position as corporate chef for a catering company serving Northern Ontario. However, the position was seasonal, and so, last December, he found himself at loose ends. While whipping up some meals for friends, one of them told him that this is what he should do - become a personal chef.

"Entrepreneurial Magazine rates it as one of the top 10 growing occupations," he said. "It's very new. Nobody in town does it. Well, not at the personal chef level.  There are about 17 personal chefs working in Toronto. Like Schroeder, they all belong to the Canadian Personal Chef Alliance, which has been around for three years. It requires its members to adhere to strict guidelines, including pricing ranges, but also offers them support in setting up their own businesses. The personal chef business is galloping forward at a faster rate in the United States. It's estimated that every city of 50,000 or more has at least one.

Ideally, a client would call Schroeder to come once a month to line their freezer with 20 tasty meal portions. He views it as a supplement to fall back on on those crazy nights when the kids have dance after school and nobody has time to cook. Before taking on an assignment, Schroeder has the client complete a three-page questionnaire on food preferences. He can create meals that follow a specific diet or design dinners that appeal to a gourmet palate. The price of the meals range between $14-$17 per person, depending on the ingredients. All cooking is done in the home of the client. Schroeder also does dinner parties, preparing and even serving the meal (if so desired) in the host's home. Besides being known for his cooking, Schroeder's trademark is the incredibly clean kitchen he leaves behind. He even tackles the oven. "I'm not a caterer," he said. "People often have misconceptions about what a personal chef is. People often think of a private chef, who works for one family full-time. A personal chef is far more affordable."

Recipes

Schroeder selected these three recipes for their simplicity and their ingredients. Cucumbers, apples and pumpkins are all in ample supply at this time of year. Here are some new ideas of how to incorporate them into meals.

Cinnamon Apple Pumpkin Soup
Serves four.

1 lbs. of diced pumpkin (peeled)
2 large apples, peeled and cored
1 large cooking onion, diced
2 liters of chicken or vegetable stock
1 bay leaf
Cinnamon, salt and pepper to taste.
Optional: toasted pumpkin seeds and cream to garnish

Saute onion, pumpkin and apple in oil until onions are translucent. Add the stock and 1 bay leaf. Cook for about 30 minutes and then puree. Add cinnamon, salt and pepper to taste. Once poured in the bowl, garnish with seeds and cream.

Cucumber Dill Salad
Serves four.

2 large cucumbers, thinly sliced
1 part white vinegar or white wine vinegar
2 parts canola oil
Fresh dill, chopped
Salt and pepper

Sprinkle salt on thinly sliced cucumbers. Let sit for 10 minutes or until water starts to come out of cucumbers. Mix 1 part vinegar to 2 parts oil and then add salt and pepper to taste. Add to cucumbers and sprinkle with fresh dill.

Apple Curry Salad
Serves four.

4 apples, peeled and sliced.
1/2 cup of mayonnaise
Juice of 2 oranges
Curry powder, salt and pepper to taste.
Optional: raisins

Mix mayonnaise, juice, curry powder, salt and pepper and then add to apples.