Written by Lesley Logan
Photos by @insightphotographynkw
Meet Chef Monica - Talks Food
Just about anyone can follow a recipe and make something good, but better chefs are able to find innovative and creative ways to make meals wonderful.
Just ask Chef Monica, who first learned to cook at age 6, but spent years honing her craft. Along with constantly practicing in any kitchen she can find, she earned degrees in Food and Nutrition as well as Culinary Arts.
Today, she has earned the title “Celebrity Chef” and is ranked among the top tier of culinary artists. At the same time, however, she’ll happily admit to still wanting to keep on learning new techniques and flavor combos.
Her specialty is Southern Cuisine but with some exciting twists, such as using fresh ingredients whenever possible plus looking for substitutes that are a bit better for you. She is known to bring in elements from other cuisine styles to create something good and good for you.
She calls it ‘Modern Southern,’ which features favorite foods but also adds sustainable twists.
Of course, a big aspect of this style of cooking is still present: the requirement to cook a lot of food and share it. Chef Monica is always looking for opportunities to bring together friends, family, and anyone else who would enjoy a home-cooked meal – pretty much anyone!
She also invites fans and followers to do the same, starting with creating opportunities to bring family members to the table for a meal. This can sometimes be a challenge since so many homes have everyone coming and going, but ultimately worth the effort.
As a way of giving back, she also looks for ways to connect food with disadvantaged populations. She’s taught all sorts of classes for people in domestic violence programs, churches, suicide prevention organizations, youth groups, and other organizations that have the goal of helping their local communities.
To make the at-home experience even more memorable, she created Chef Monica Blends, a selection of her favorite spices. These can be purchased through Amazon Prime and also at two locations in McAdenville, N.C.
Learn more about the spices and Chef Monica in general, visit her on social media or at chefmonicablends.com.
