Life – with Relish and Mustard
Last weekend we had the privilege to spend some time with two real entrepreneurs – entrepreneurs in the biggest sense of the word. Tired of corporate life, corporate demands, corporate control, they branched off on their own. Now, though they work hard, they work for themselves, their work makes meaning in their lives, they enjoy the work they do. What a great move.
Gutsy, yes. But talk about quality of life.
Kent is the owner of KentCooks, a personal chef service now in Glendale, Arizona, just a few minutes from Phoenix. He is a man who truly has a loving relationship with the food he prepares. He uses the best ingredients and we watched him turn them into masterpieces right before our eyes. Some dishes were so simple, it was amazing. But then with a deft flick of his wrist and an added ingredient or two, the simple became special.
I imagined myself eating in a quaint gourmet restaurant instead of around a cozy kitchen table. And the food was damn near perfect. Pork loin stuffed with bleu cheese and figs; hummus so full of flavor and freshness, I will never want to eat another bite from a plastic container; a pear and apple souffle that melted in my mouth.
So are you wondering about the hot dog?
No, Kent didn’t prepare hot dogs for lunch. But we were at the Desert Botanical Gardens in Phoenix at noon, and we ate in their outside cafe. Here is Kent’s take on the hot dog.
“Every chef has a favorite junk food. Hot dogs are mine. Not gourmet hot dogs, just plain old hot dogs. Love ’em.”
His wife finds it fascinating that a chef who is meticulous about using fresh ingredients–he raises an eyebrow when she uses frozen veggies instead of fresh–would love hot dogs.
But food is a strong connection with happy memories; a lot of food is about memories. And I am still loving the memories of the many foods Kent shared with us. Ah, the stuff long-lasting memories are surely made from.
If you are in the Phoenix area, check out KentCooks. He provides a wide variety of opportunities to enjoy his food. It’s a great service, and he is simply a nice guy to boot.
