While I have sample menus on my page, I often get asked what types of food I make for real clients. So, I thought I’d share the current menu for two of my clients.
The first client is a family of three (one parent, two children) with a monthly service of 10 freezer meals, with four of those meals having an extra portion which I pack as a lunch for the parent. They have no food allergies and are fairly adventurous. Their menu for this month:
Meal 1: Indian Chicken.* Tomato-based curry sauce with chicken and greens, over rice.+
Meal 2: Chicken Parmesan Meatloaf, Whipped Potatoes, and Vegetables. * + Ground chicken and vegetable meatloaf, topped with red sauce and mozzarella cheese. Served with whipped potatoes and a seasonal vegetable.
Meal 3: Chana Masala. Northern Indian Chickpea curry, full of warm spices, served over brown rice.
Meal 4: Honey Lime Chicken Enchiladas. Honey-lime marinated pulled chicken in tortillas, with green enchilada sauce and cheddar cheese.
Meal 5: Sweet Potato Chili. Sweet potatoes and red beans in a hearty winter chili.*
Meal 6: White House Shrimp over cheddar grits, with seasonal vegetable. Tender shrimp sautéed with lemon, olive oil, and seasonings, served over cheddar grits. Sided with seasonal vegetable.
Meal 7: Ginger beef & Broccoli. Chinese ginger beef, with broccoli, over rice.
Meal 8: Coconut braised chickpeas and kale over sweet potatoes. Chickpeas, kale, and sundried tomatoes gently braised in a lemon and coconut sauce, served over roasted sweet potatoes.*
The second menu is five dinners for two people, both in their 80s. They have no food allergies, and tend to prefer less International cuisine and more home-style cooking. One of them recently had a heart attack, and the other has diabetes; so, many of the items on the menu are modified to meet those medical needs.
Wednesday
Shrimp Alfredo with Side Salad
Tender shrimp and peas in a creamy Alfredo sauce over whole wheat noodles. Served with side salad.
Thursday
Rustic Chicken Noodle Soup
A hearty soup with chunks of potato, carrots, and skinless chicken breast in a seasoned chicken broth.
Friday
Chef’s Meatloaf, with Brown Rice and Seasonal Vegetable
Chef’s special meatloaf recipe, served over brown rice with fresh seasonal vegetable.
Saturday
Baked Chicken with Braised Winter Greens & Chickpeas
Lightly herbed chicken, baked and served with wilted winter greens and chickpeas.
Sunday
Onion & Broccoli Frittata, with Roasted Sweet Potato
Farm-fresh eggs, cheese, onions and broccoli in a winter frittata. Served with chunked roasted sweet potato.
As you can see, my client’s menus differ pretty dramatically, which is part of the fun of what I do! So, what goes into each menu, aside from client needs and preference? There’s a lot of logistical stuff that goes into making a menu/ How many items can go in the oven or on the stove at once? How long do each of those dishes need to fully prepare, and will I be able to use that space in the oven/on the stove for a second dish? How well will dishes keep in the refrigerator/freezer? What fits into the food budget? Can I reasonably expect to get all the ingredients at one store, or will I need to allot extra time for shopping at multiple stores?
Personal Chefs do a lot more than just cook. In fact, as you can see by the above, a pretty hefty portion of our time is spent planning, rather than cooking (which works out much better than the reverse, I assure you).
- On the Menu: Oct. 28-Nov. 2 (eclecticedibles.wordpress.com)
- On the Menu: Oct 21-27 (eclecticedibles.wordpress.com)
