A Chefs tale By: Chef Coton
Looking back, I realize that I have had a life long admiration for food which would later turn into a passion as I grew and then a career.
My childhood memories are so often food-related. My parents found amusement at the fact that I was the last to leave the dinner table.
Some of my earliest memories revolved around quaint restaurants with my "Gypsies" of a family, we had stopped while traveling for work across the country. My Father is an Artist and my Mother a Therapeutic Yoga Teacher..... childhood was extraordinary, nothing traditional in my house.
My father worked a job once outside of a small farm town, laden with cattle and smelled of a paper mill. I would anxiously await for his return because it meant that we would receive a white paper bag filled with vibrant colored traditional Mexican pastries with ornate designs.
I remember the smells of the plump and sweet juicy blackberries that my siblings and I use to pick behind my parents' farmhouse. We'd get lost for hours, at what the time seemed to be a magical land filled with adventure.
My parents had established a traditional family Sunday brunch, that followed a morning outing in the mountains. After a lengthy trip to the local co-op with three children in tow, they would amazingly whip up a table full of savory dishes.
Sunday mornings were the best and I was always excited to see what my father would bring to the table for what then seemed like a feast to our hungry eager eyes!! Minted almond milk excited us and daddy's famous spinach pancakes too.... as I was raised vegetarian.
As time passed, I grew and so did my interest in food. I love creating meals, the smells of spices excite me as do a bouquet of herbs. Everyone should have an herb garden.
Every time I travel, I bring a piece of that experience with me, back into my kitchen. I believe in colorful plates of real food that is rich in flavor, but not heavy. I practice well-roundness in my personal life and naturally find that I carry it over into the kitchen.
I have been taught, I have taught. Dishes have succeeded and dishes have failed. Embracing wild, wonderful creations have been my rules for learning and mastering my craft.
We dine together to relax, connect, and I admire the ability that a meaningful meal has to elude a hectic schedule. I truly enjoy the experience of creating memorable moments through meals and it is a pleasure to share my love of food with you.
Bon Appetit!
Chef Coton
