Interview with Chef Maria Hopps

Cookbookwiki Interview with Chef Maria Hopps

 * Hello Chef Maria Hopps! How did you get started with cooking? - Alex

My cooking has always been for my family, friends and school groups. I cooked in my spare time as I pursued a corporate life in the travel industry. Now, I offer my cooking as a personal chef. Chef Maria Hopps


 * How did you get started with cooking? - Alex

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 Maria Hopps


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

One of my older sisters owns a restaurant in Spain and I was taking on the role of Executive Chef every time I was visiting. ChefsUsa, In-store Gourment Cooking Demos for Smith’s. Teach consumers the joy of preparing “ Meal Solutions”, in a simple, easy-to-understand manner. Weekly Live Gourmet Cooking. Currently I’m working for SkyChefs (an airline catering company). I’m cooking for Ms Sara Hermann, CEO of an International Publishing Company, for Mr Sharrar (assistant coach of UNLV Football Team) and his family, and occasionally I cook for Mr Jim Feist, a Sport TV Host. Chef Maria Hopps


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

I have attended the Culinary Arts Program at CCSN (Community College of Southern Nevada) while attending College, one of my professors was a Personal Chef herself and that is how I learned about Personal Chef Business. I have a Personal Chef Certification from APCA from San Diego. I have a SafeServ Certification from the National Restaurant Association. I have been an instructor at Creative School, teaching “The Business of Doing Business as a Personal Chef” Chef Maria Hopps


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

A Personal Chef is a new kind of business and we have to educate the public about it, half of the population think that a personal chef is a catering business and the other half think that is a private chef. There is not many information out there about how to become a personal chef or what is a Personal Chef. Chef Maria Hopps


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

That I did not start sooner. Chef Maria Hopps


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

I was going to meet a new potential client and when I arrived at the house and introduced myself, the gentleman that opened the door was very friendly and ask me to come in and sit down, he sat next to me and I start talking about my services and he said “this is very interesting, let me call my wife”, I was kind of surprise since he has told me over the phone that he was single, when the wife came in she said, I did not ask for a chef, after a few moments of not understanding what was going on, I realized to my embarrassment that I was in the wrong house, I have the right number but the wrong street, I started to laugh and apologized profusely, I end up cooking for them for three months anyway. Chef Maria Hopps


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

I love Seafood, any kind and any form, I also like BBQ Ribs. Chef Maria Hopps


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

I love reading and traveling. Chef Maria Hopps


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

Quoted from a Corporate Luncheon ”Maria, your enchiladas are awesome I seriously hesitated telling everyone about how great they were=. in hopes that they don't eat any and I get to eat them all myself. But how can one deprive the world of the Mona Lisa? How can I not share this true, culinary experience with the rest of the office?" - Marco Puebla - LasVegas.com Chef Maria Hopps


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

You have to believe in yourself and in what you are doing. You have to have a passion for cooking. Chef Maria Hopps


 * Do you have your own recipes, if so would you be willing to offer our readers one of your very own recipes? - Alex

SIESTA ROLL UPS Chef Maria Hopps


 * Are there any additional information about your projects or yourself you would like readers to know? - Alex

This is my dream come true, I love what I’m doing! Chef Maria Hopps