WHAT DO CHEFS MAKE AT HOME?
Luckily for you...we have three chef's in the family👩🏻🍳🧑🏼🍳👨🏼🍳
Chefs are just like us. Okay, that’s debatable, lol. But what I mean is that like most people, they usually have one or two go-to recipes they make on repeat and in a pinch at home for themselves or guests. Obviously, what chefs cook in their own kitchen is a little more elevated than the average Joe (we’re not talking boxed mac and cheese here). But their go-to recipes still tend to be quick, easy, and delicious crowd-pleasers. So if you ever wondered “What does a chef make when they’re at home?”, luckily for you, we have three chefs in the family, and we’ve rounded up their go-to recipes they keep in their back pockets.
Before we get into it, no “chef-at-home” meal round-up is complete without “Midnight Pasta” aka Spaghetti Aglio e Olio (and the inspiration behind this Digest theme). This simple pasta is a favorite of chefs to make late at night or after work because it can be made quickly with only a few pantry staples. It is so delicious and perfect when you are in the mood for an effortless yet delicious pasta. We especially love to make this when we’re cooking just for ourselves after a long day, or on vacation with family and need something substantial that can be prepared in 10 minutes.
We first tried Spaghetti Aglio e Olio on our very first trip to Italy as kids. We had taken a boat ride to the Island of Capri, with our quintessential old seaworthy Italian Captain, Gennaro. He kept telling us not to eat anything in Capri because we were having lunch after the trip. We took him somewhat seriously, but being kids we had to have a little gelato on the island. When we returned to the mainland and got to the restaurant for our late lunch we were shocked and elated to see a delicious Italian spread. Pastas, meats, bread….everything. After we feasted, Gennaro told us it’s custom to end your meal with a bowl of pasta in olive oil. As full as we were (about to burst) we happily joined him…and have had a taste for Spaghetti Aglio e Olio ever since. Although these days it’s the main entree and not the post-dinner digestive.
Now…to the featured Chefs!
Tyler Burns
Tyler is our cousin, and while we both grew up with two sets of grandparents who owned restaurants, she was the first person we knew to attend Culinary School (shoutout Kendall College). Tyler is a very talented food scientist and lives in Milwaukee. We usually ask her to make us Indian food (she cooks an amazing yogurt chicken), but her go-to meal is honestly one of our very favorites too…. Spanokopita (aka spinach pie).
“Spanokopita because it’s vegetarian and everyone loves it” -Tyler
We couldn’t have said it better ourselves! Her version is also similar to our Grandma’s spinach pie recipe but with more eggs and feta.
Paul Vining
Paul is our uncle and former Sous Chef at the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel in Grand Rapids, Michigan—where he worked for 33 years. These days, Paul is known for the delicious fresh loaves of bread that he so very generously makes for us when we’re in town. Picking up a fresh loaf of Paul’s bread (sometimes he even drops it off at our door—he’s too good to us!) is a very wonderful thing and we are so grateful. He also makes outstanding blackened salmon…a family favorite and his pick for his go-to meal.
“I cook so much differently now… I never was good about recipes. Just made it up as I went”— Paul
Hilary Burns (well…obviously)
Pantry namesake.
My go-to is always schnitzel or pounded-breaded chicken. Growing up, our mom made crispy pounded chicken whenever we had people over...so I admittedly picked it up from her (why fix what isn’t broken?). It’s simple, packed full of flavor, and always a crowd-pleaser - even for the pickiest eaters. I also love making pounded chicken or schnitzel when I want to have leftovers during a busy week (both are very versatile as a leftover… you can make it into a sandwich or cut it up in a salad, etc). And TBH pounding meat with a tenderizer is kinda cathartic🔨.
More recently, a friend shared with me the best dredging station hack ever (a dredging station is where you dip the chicken breast in egg, flour, and panko/breading). And I will never do anything else from now on.
I used to make my dredging station using plates or bowls, which made it messy during the dredging process and even messier when I cleaned up.
Now, I divide a sheet pan into three sections using aluminum foil bent so each section has a lip. One section is for the egg, one is for the flour, and the last is for the breading. Once dredging is complete, you simply throw out the foil!
THANKS FOR READING!
Cheers 🥂
Hil & Nat
Don’t forget you can access the entire recipe library with all your favs here.
so sorry to hear about the family dog!