I'm a twenty-seven-year-old Chef, born in Calgary, raised in MTL. I'm a mother of one feisty two-year-old kid. I have worked in many restaurants around the city but mostly love to cook for my family.
Tell us about your first culinary memory Food has always been the center of my life. My parents owned a kosher bakery when I was younger in Calgary, I grew up there smelling the freshly baked bread and eating cookie dough by the spoonful. I had a kids' cookbook that I would sit and flip through the pages over and over until it was bent and worn. Emeril always playing on the TV while onions are fried in the kitchen. All of my childhood memories revolve around making, smelling, tasting food.
How did you get into the culinary world? My first job was at a Subway, then another sandwich shop, from there I went to culinary school, and 3 months in started my first job at a supper club in the city. I've been working in different restaurants around the city since and have opened up my own catering company as well.
What is your signature dish? I don't really have a signature dish, honestly, it's probably sandwiches.
What is your favorite type of cuisine? My favorite type of cuisine is sandwiches.
How would you describe your cooking style? My cooking style is very rooted in french techniques however I definitely go with the flow when it comes to food. Making many horrible mistakes along the way and always learning.
How did your upbringing influence your cooking style? Having both my parents enthusiastic about food was a huge part of why I feel so comfortable in a kitchen. It feels like home when food is being prepared.
How do you describe your cooking philosophy? My cooking philosophy is “Just add love. And salt. More salt. And knob of butter. Bam.”
What was your biggest kitchen fail? Every dish I make for the first time is a fuck up. Something can always be done better. But always remember to double-check that your sugar is in fact sugar and not salt when doing pastry.
Who are your culinary inspirations? My mommy is my biggest culinary inspiration. Oh and Anthony Bourdain, obviously.
What is your favorite cooking technique? My favorite culinary technique is deglazing a pan with wine because that's the best smell.
What vegetable doesn't get enough love? Celery Root!
What are your "can't live without them" spices? Salttttttt
Which local restaurants do you highly recommend? Le Club Chasse et Peche
What tool is essential for you in the kitchen? My coping mechanisms
What advice would you give to someone looking to pursue a culinary career? It ain't easy, but if you love it, you fucking love it.
What advice would you give to an aspiring home cook? Keep cooking! Never stop!
What is the most overrated culinary trend? Aspic. Just a big nope.
What's your favorite way to prepare an egg? Poached because yummy.
You're hosting a dinner party, what's on the menu? Something with chimichurri on it
What are your long-term culinary goals? Own my own business that my kids can run around in
What recipe would you like to share? Jewish Penicillin (Chicken Soup) This soup will cure you of all ailments, it is 100% tested and has been successful every time. Cold? No problem. Flu? Don't worry about it. Broken leg? What Broken leg?
Ingredients:
2 whole chickens
2 Onions largely chopped
1 Celery stalk largely chopped
6 Carrots largely chopped
2 cloves garlic
1 bunch parsley
1 bunch dill
salt/pepper
Method: Put whole chickens in a stockpot and cover them with cold water. Once the water gets hot the scum will begin to float to the top. Skim that friggin' scum.
When all of your scum has been taken care of, add in half your vegetables, the garlic, and half the parsley. Let this simmer for at least an hour or until your broth looks yellow and smells like God.
Remove the chicken attempting to keep all of the meat on the bones. Put all of the meat into a bowl and strain the broth back into a clean pot(discarding the vegetables). Pull apart the chicken with your hands and set it aside, removing all of the bones. Add in the other half of your veggies. Let simmer until the veggies are fork-tender. Season with salt and pepper, add the chicken back in, and let simmer for 5 more minutes.
Serve with a sprinkle of fresh Dill and parsley and a piece of that stale matzah from the back of your mom's cupboard.
Follow Kaylee 1583 Catering website