Interview with Chef Jim

The Traveling Culinary Artist
You can tell when someone puts passion in what they do – you simply see it in their every action, word or thought. Jim Huff is one of those people and his passion is cooking. The Traveling Culinary Artist website is a faithful mirror for Chef Jim’s passion. This is a place where you will learn why healthy eating and home cooking are so important in our busy lives. Of course, we all know that a freshly prepared meal will not only taste better but also provide our body with the nutrients we need. But we lack the time to cook it. This is where Chef Jim comes in – he is a personal cook – which means he will come to your home and cook the most delicious recipe you desire.

What the Traveling Culinary Artist is suggesting is an experience far different from eating in a restaurant. With Jim, you will be able to see the meal develop from the beginning, you can assist in the cooking process and maybe even learn how to cook that particular dish yourself. Having a personal chef is far more rewarding than simply receiving a meal in a restaurant – when the food was cooked in your own home under your own eyes, it will taste a lot better, you can be sure of that! You are invited to learn more about Chef Jim – the Traveling Culinary Artist, by visiting his website at: www.travelingculinaryartist.com

Cookbookwiki Interview with Chef Jim

 * Hello Chef Jim! Could you tell Cookbookwiki about yourself? - Robert

As the TRAVELING CULINARY ARTIST, I am creating tasty mealtime solutions for today's busy households, providing my service for people who want to enjoy nutritious, well-prepared food in the comfort of their own home. Also, I am able to help people needing to follow prescribed and/or restrictive diets due to health issues or simply cook for seniors who don't want to deal with the stress of self-sustenance. Chef Jim 07:19, 5 Jan 2006 (PST)


 * How did you get started with cooking? - Robert

My mother returned to the work force when I was 13, the eldest of three. It was a choice of learning to cook and start dinner every night after school or eat at 8 p.m. Once I got into it I started reading cookbooks and experimenting beyond my mother's repertoire and have been hooked ever since. At 15 I threw my first Dinner Party as a surprise for my mother's birthday! Chef Jim 07:19, 5 Jan 2006 (PST)


 * Where have you cooked and where are you currently cooking?  - Robert

My cooking was always home based, sometimes friends and family would invite me over and I'd always end up in the kitchen helping or most times taking over! With my wife and our best friend, I started a catering company where we would go to people's homes and prepare dinner parties or small in-home celebrations. Smallest was dinner for two, largest was wedding reception for 200 in the backyard! We gave it up after 5 years as we were not having as much fun as we thought we should be and it was a part-time career for two of the three of us. We loved cooking together and hiring help was not our idea of that love. I spent the next 15 years in retail and when I decided that was enough, I became a Personal Chef and I am once again going into my clients' homes and preparing and storing meals for them to heat and eat at their convenience. I also do the small in home catering gigs again. Chef Jim 07:19, 5 Jan 2006 (PST)


 * What kind of training did you go through?  - Robert

Mostly self-taught, have taken classes from time to time. I have watched a lot of Food Network shows, read many, cookbooks and peruse every food oriented magazine available. Am constantly challenging myself to learn new methods and practice dishes from every type of cuisine. Chef Jim 07:19, 5 Jan 2006 (PST)


 * How difficult is it to become a personal chef?  - Robert

For me, it wasn't difficult at all, I did have the experience of catering, but I believe if you have a passion for cooking and enjoy pleasing others with your food, you have a good chance of being successful. The hardest part, for me, is promoting myself. Running a business and marketing at the same time is kinda tough, but you have to learn in this case: it is all about you and what service you can provide for your clients. Of course, if it was only about me, I'd own a 5 star restaurant and write my own ticket to fame and fortune! LOL! But really it's about the service I can provide for my clients, be it a time-savings for busy people, providing healthy fresh cooked food for people on special or restrictive diets, or seniors whose ability to provide for themselves is at risk, I believe that a Personal Chef is capable of being a viable service to many. Chef Jim 07:19, 5 Jan 2006 (PST)


 * Is there anything that you regret regarding this career?  - Robert

Only that I didn't do it sooner!!! Chef Jim 07:19, 5 Jan 2006 (PST)


 * Tell us a funny thing that happened to you while on the job.  - Robert

1. While cooking an intimate dinner party for a client in a very posh apartment building in Manhattan, my roasted garlic spilled out some olive oil onto the spotless (as in it has never been used) oven, then it burned and set off the smoke alarm. As it was to be a surprise, I was there alone! When I finally located the smoke alarm it was near the ceiling which was 14 feet high! I couldn't imagine finding a ladder to reach it, so I returned to the kitchen and discovered there was an exhaust fan over the wall oven which worked perfectly and after five minutes the alarm stopped automatically.

2. First cook with new client, who was a stay at home senior, she assured me she'd leave me alone to cook. Within the first 10 minutes of unpacking in her closet-sized kitchen, she pulled up a dining room chair and sat in the doorway to watch, take notes and ask a million questions as if she were writing a cookbook! Chef Jim 07:19, 5 Jan 2006 (PST)


 * You cook all day - so what's your favorite dish?  - Robert

This changes seasonally, right now it's Beef and Mushroom Ragout with three kinds of mushrooms and white wine. Chef Jim 07:19, 5 Jan 2006 (PST)


 * What do you like to do when not cooking?  - Robert

Read cookbooks and shop for kitchen gadgets. Chef Jim 07:19, 5 Jan 2006 (PST)


 *  What's the most memorable thing someone said about your cooking?  - Robert

"Oh my, if it tastes half as good as it smells in here, it'll be Wonderful!!" Chef Jim 07:19, 5 Jan 2006 (PST)


 * What advice would you give someone interested in becoming a chef?  - Robert

Go to Culinary School and experiment, experiment and then experiment some more! Chef Jim 07:19, 5 Jan 2006 (PST)