Chef’s Blog

With summer already unofficially here and the solstice just over a week away (this year it arrives on June 21st), it seems like a good time to remind everyone of the dangers of overheating and to give some tips for avoiding the serious health risks associated with overdoing things in hot weather. As we all…

What happens when a chef and a wine maker go to France? Well, in this case, you get a gourmand getaway that provides so many wonderful experiences and memories that I have to share one with you right now. Earlier this month, my best friend, Pallet wine maker Linda Donovan, and I set out to…

A one-ounce portion of avocado has about 50 calories, and over 75% of those come from fat. But that’s not a reason to stop eating avocados. In fact, quite the opposite: Avocados are a wonderful source of healthy fat and provide other substantial health benefits. For example, a good portion of the fat in avocados…

What could put you more in the mood for St. Patrick’s Day than starting it off with a delicious green breakfast? And since St. Patrick’s Day is largely about maximizing fun, what could be more fun at breakfast than Green Eggs & Ham? The bonus is that this particular recipe is both fun and healthy.…

As you hopefully already know, we turned the clocks ahead by 1 hour early Sunday morning. That means that today—as the first workday after the change—is when many people will truly notice how much extra daylight we’re now getting in the early evening. The sun won’t set here in Southern California until just about 7:00…

Yes, of course, the title is a little much, but we’re on the eve of the Academy Awards so everything has to be at least a little dramatic. But, in all seriousness, I remember talking about kale at dinner with my wife’s (that is, Chef Denise’s) food-obsessed family more than a decade ago, and one…

As the month that gives us Valentine’s Day, when images of hearts become ubiquitous, it is fitting that February is also American Heart Month—an opportunity for all of us to learn more about how to keep this critical organ healthy. And, judging from the statistics, we better do so in a hurry! As the official…

If you made a New Year’s resolution to lose weight, you don’t have to blow it on Super Bowl Sunday. This simplified California Chef recipe for Guiltless Turkey Nachos is less than 400 calories per serving, and it’s satisfyingly delicious. Not only are these nachos healthy and diet friendly, but they are even gluten free!…

If, like many people, you follow the January ritual of making new year’s resolutions—and then are stung by the lack of success you have in keeping them—here are 5 tips for making 2015 the year you get things right! These tips are taken from a blog I did on the subject early last year, and…

As we get ready to close out 2014 and ring in the new year, I want to thank all of our wonderful clients for entrusting their dietary needs to us this year and our dedicated staff for making sure that those needs are met with the level of care and professionalism that we pride ourselves…

Warm holiday season greetings to all of you! Yes, it’s that time of year again, and in what has become something of a holiday tradition, I’m re-posting a blog I did a few years ago that always gets a lot of comments and thanks from readers. It’s my own little recipe for maximizing holiday cheer—while…

Throughout my 9 years of cooking healthy meals at California Chef, many people have requested no-carb diets, and it still makes me cringe each time I get the request. I work with many nutritionists, dieticians, and doctors, and none of them has ever recommended a no-carb diet for their clients. Healthy carbs (whole grains, legumes,…