11 Apr 2022
Our meals are fresh and chef-made for you and they taste delicious.
30 Oct 2019
So, you’ve been thinking of exploring your options as a home cook, but aren’t quite sure what you need to have on hand. Before you go packing your entire kitchen including the sink into the trunk of your car; let’s explore what is actually needed and expected of you to bring as a home cook. it’s best to have open communication with the clients you’ll be working with. You’ll want to discuss menu preferences, number of people you’ll be feeding, and food allergies or preferences. Of course, it all starts with food, so once you have a menu set the first thing you’ll be transporting is groceries. Having a way to transport groceries is a must. Usually this can be done with a cooler, and a few grocery bags. (Remember to follow all food safety guidelines and maintain freshness of ingredients.)
The second thing you need to be aware of is the environment you’ll be cooking in. Take a moment to discuss with your clients what tools they have in their kitchen and what appliances you’ll be needing to use. Some cook’s even have clients text photos of their kitchen appliances to make sure they are suitable for completing the tasks needed. Discuss with your clients how much space you will be needing in the refrigerator. How long you’ll be in the kitchen prepping food and how much space you will need to prep. Don’t be afraid to ask specific questions.
Once you have an idea of your menu, your groceries, and your work space, it’s time to think about tools. Most cooks bring a few personal tools along with them, such as a set of knives and a food processor. Others prefer a pressure cooker. Think carefully about the meal you’re going to prepare, and as you mentally walk through the steps make a list of every tool you might be needing. If there is a tool you need that you can’t complete the meal without it’s best to bring it.
Last but not least, be flexible. Inevitably things are going to go wrong. Ovens will cook slower or faster than expected, your clients may only own serrated knives. Their corkscrew might break before you get the wine opened. Things go wrong in every job, at every business on the planet. It’s your job to keep it from ruining the meal. Be flexible, have a backup plan, and continue to communicate openly with your clients about any challenges that come up.
CookinGenie can help you connect with clients who are in need of fresh home cooked food. Sign up to cook with us today & find out more about us.
22 Jul 2022
In the past few years, the demand for Private dining experiences has increased across Ohio. Many hosts now prefer to hire personal chefs to prepare delicious quality food at their in-house parties. This remarkable surge in chef-on-demand service has helped CookinGenie earn a reputation in the region within a short period.
Since its inception in 2019, CookinGenie has provided personal chefs to hundreds of customers for their varied events and occasions with almost one hundred percent client satisfaction. When we asked our customers the main reason they choose to hire a chef for their special events, these were the answers provided by them.
Upon asking our customer, Dina, the reason for hiring a personal chef, she answered, “Most guests are particular about their food, either because of their dietary restrictions or their allergies to certain ingredients. As a host and cook, it adds to my stress of preparing delicious quality meals while keeping such constraints in check. With a private chef from your staff, it becomes easier for me to meet guests’ expectations and relax and enjoy the party.”
We started CookinGenie to make food preparation convenient for hosts with busy lifestyles, and it made us proud when Jennie, our returning client, shared these kind words about us.
“I hire your private chefs to provide convenience in planning meals for my family. They always save me from the hassle of planning and preparing meals like breakfast, lunch, and dinner when I am on office tours. No rush for grocery shopping and cleaning after cooking, plus it’s affordable. So, why not CookinGenie?”
Those who think our chefs come at a high price would want to read what our user, Catherine, says.
“Hiring a chef not only helps my family and me to have fresh, healthy meals but also relieves me from the stress of the entire process, which is very time-consuming. I don’t need to feel burdened with meal planning, food shopping, cooking, and daily cleanups. Moreover, it is way more economical than dining out, which costs parking, fuel, and babysitting fees apart from the restaurant bill.”
As our chefs hold ample experience in their respective culinary expertise, customizing meals for the clients is easy for them and is also our highlight that customers like Daniel can’t get tired of appreciating.
“Being a professional athlete, it’s crucial to fuel my body with balanced micro- and macro-nutrients. It’s easy to get my personalized meals from your chef without missing the ‘taste’ essence.”
Lary says, “Whenever I hire a chef, I try to observe and interact with them to learn new cooking tricks that I can use for those rare occasions when I need to cook. I have learned a few knife skills and how to avoid tears when dicing onions.”
Although we are only focusing on the chef-on-demand services, Lary’s remark does spark the motivation to have scope for culinary classes, maybe someday.
Nevertheless, indeed you hire a personal chef to cook for you, but it’s always great to learn new recipes and methods too.
Our chefs love to swank their culinary flair all over. So, whenever hiring them, make sure to try something new to refresh your taste buds like our customer, Lily, is enjoying in pregnancy.
“Being in the second semester, I crave a lot for a variety of tasty food. But since I need to avoid outside food due to health concerns, I hire your chef to fulfill my desire for tasty food and delicious cuisines. It has been an excellent way to soothe my craving and maintain good health during this time.”
When we asked Christopher for a reason behind hiring a private chef, he prompted, “I believe ‘Sharing is happiness,’ and your Gift Cards are an excellent example. Even though I have only used your service once, I have bought your gift cards several times for my friends and families. And they all had a great experience of being served by your genies. Isn’t that what you call your chefs? I like that name and your gifting concept too.”
“Hiring a personal chef for my in-house parties takes all the pressure off me. As the entire process of buying groceries, prepping food, and cleaning up is the chef’s responsibility, it allows me to enjoy the evening to the fullest. And, when it’s time for food, I feel assured that my guests will be all-praises for the top-quality dishes with dietary and allergic concerns taken care of.” – Ashley.
No surprise that this was the most common answer given by most of our clients.
Our purpose with CookinGenie has always been to pair diners with personal chefs and let the host enjoy their time with guests. We are glad our clients are enjoying being fantastic hosts.
The convenience of hiring a personal chef allows couples to enjoy romantic dinners at home with gourmet quality meals served on their table. If you haven’t yet planned this surprise for your partner, Jeremy suggests you try it.
“I wanted to do something unique on my girlfriend’s 25th birthday. So, I hired a personal chef from your site and got her favorite dishes freshly prepared in my kitchen. The surprise turned out to be more than she could imagine. My girlfriend’s jaw-dropping expressions were worth watching.” – Jeremy.
“Hiring a chef allows me to spend quality time with my family while not compromising our health. I feel more energized in my office and don’t need to have frequent runs to the grocery stores, spend time planning weekly meals, or spend unnecessarily on dine-outs and takeaways. Everything feels sorted.” – Cicily.
Having quality time with your near and dear ones is crucial. We are glad that Cicily could find a reason in us to spend quality time with her family and manage her work-life balance better.
The overwhelming answers from esteemed clients affirm that there are plenty of reasons to hire a chef and none to avoid it.
So, next time you are looking to throw a party for friends, indulge yourself with an elaborate buffet, or wish to kick back at home after a tough day at work, remember to make our private chef the reason to look after your culinary needs.
15 Mar 2020
Most of us feel pretty confident in our ability to read labels and know what we’re putting into our bodies. But sometimes, understanding food labels can be daunting. We feel like we need PHDs in food science. Did you know, for example, that there are 61 ways in which sugar can be described on food labels? Surprised? We thought as much.
The FDA requires that ingredients be listed by weight in all packaged foods. Most of us are savvy enough to realize that the ingredients are listed from greatest to least, but there may be more than one form of sugar in the packaging. Bottomline, when you read food labels, be sure to understand everything that is listed. If you recognized all the ways in which sweeteners are put in packaged foods, you can make an informed choice about what you are buying.
In a recent article published by UCSF it was revealed that manufacturers add sugar to 74% of packaged foods. Consumers expect sugar to be added to dessert type items like cookies and cakes, but many are shocked to find out that otherwise “healthy” foods such as yogurt, breakfast bars, and juice often contain sugar. In some packaged foods, multiple sweeteners are used with different names.
So how can you be sure what you’re eating is healthy? Well the FDA is considering revising the guidelines for how food labels are created to help people better understand what they are putting in their bodies. But industry wide changes take time.
We, at CookinGenie, started our business with the core value that cooking from scratch is the healthiest way to eat. However, not all of us have the time to cook from scratch. If you fall in that bucket, consider CookinGenie. Our Genies are here to cook from scratch in your own kitchens. We choose only the freshest ingredients from your neighborhood groceries and prepare your food right in front of you in the comfort of your own kitchen.
Enough suspense on the 61 names for sugar though. Here they are:
1. Agave nectar,
2. Barbados sugar,
3. Barley malt,
4. Barley malt syrup,
5. Beet sugar,
6. Brown sugar,
7. Buttered syrup,
8. Cane juice,
9. Cane juice crystals,
10. Cane sugar,
11. Caramel,
12. Carob syrup,
13. Castor sugar,
14. Coconut palm sugar,
15. Coconut sugar,
16. Confectioner’s sugar,
17. Corn sweetener,
18. Corn syrup,
19. Corn syrup solids,
20. Date sugar,
21. Dehydrated cane juice,
22. Demerara sugar,
23. Dextrin,
24. Dextrose,
25. Evaporated cane juice,
26. Free-flowing brown sugars,
27. Fructose,
28. Fruit juice,
29. Fruit juice concentrate,
30. Glucose,
31. Glucose solids,
32. Golden sugar,
33. Golden syrup,
34. Grape sugar,
35. HFCS (high-fructose corn syrup),
36. Honey,
37. Icing sugar,
38. Invert sugar,
39. Malt syrup,
40. Maltodextrin,
41. Maltol,
42. Maltose,
43. Mannose,
44. Maple syrup,
45. Molasses,
46. Muscovado,
47. Palm sugar,
48. Panocha,
49. Powdered sugar,
50. Raw sugar,
51. Refiner’s syrup,
52. Rice syrup,
53. Saccharose,
54. Sorghum syrup,
55. Sucrose,
56. Sugar (granulated),
57. Sweet sorghum,
58. Syrup,
59. Treacle,
60. Turbinado sugar,
61. Yellow sugar
