Hello and welcome to From A Chef's Kitchen! I'm Carol Borchardt, personal chef, former newspaper columnist, recipe developer, food photographer, obsessed cookbook collector and mom to rescue kitty, Jade.
About From A Chef's Kitchen
My recipe development and food photography career began a number of years ago when our local newspaper, The Commercial Appeal asked me to write a column for the food section entitled “Dinner For Two," which enjoyed a seven-year run.
In 2014, after falling in a personal chef client's kitchen, fracturing my kneecap and suddenly requiring six weeks of recuperation time, I started From A Chef's Kitchen.
Here, I share easy, creative chef-inspired gourmet recipes from my kitchen for the home cook. My recipes are inspired by ingredients I already have on hand or what's in season at the market. I include plenty of tips and information to help you succeed in making each dish.
If you need assistance with any recipe, please get in touch with me at carol@fromachefskitchen.com.
About Me
My background in the culinary arts began with instruction from my mother, a prize-winning cook who developed original recipes while feeding our large family. From the moment I discovered my mother's old Betty Crocker cookbook as a child, I've been fascinated with cookbooks and all the culinary possibilities they hold. Over my lifetime, I've collected a library of well over 1,200 and read them like novels. They inspire me, however, I'm always dreaming up new recipes the way my mom did.
The farm-to-table, free-range and wild-caught concepts so important today is how I grew up. That was our way of life on our picturesque central Wisconsin farm. Milk didn't come from a carton, it came from the barn. My amazing 96-year-old father still tends a huge garden, forages for mushrooms and berries in the woods, hunts and ice fishes.
Cooking was my creative outlet while living in Wisconsin and working in the business field there for over 20 years. I honed my culinary skills through self-instruction, through various classes and through practical experience working for a caterer on weekends.
In 1995 I met the love of my life, had a whirlwind romance and moved to the Memphis area. After helping to raise two stepchildren, I realized in 2002 it was time for my own baby--a food business that I named A Thought For Food Personal Chef Service. Through this highly personalized service, I bring thought and care back to the home meals of our time-starved society.
Without a doubt, what I love most about being a personal chef is when my clients tell me they can feel the love and care that went into what I prepared for them and what a positive difference I make in their lives. I'm the only personal chef in the Memphis area with almost 20 years of experience providing a wide range of allergy and diet-specific cuisine.
My passion for travel–especially throughout the European and Mediterranean regions–is reflected in my cooking. While traveling, I like to immerse myself in the local cuisine. I've done week-long training in Italian Gastronomy at the Academia Barilla in Parma, Italy, classes at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris and the Culinary Institute of America’s Greystone campus in Napa Valley.
I'm a member of the American Personal and Private Chef Association (APPCA) based in San Diego and was trained in the personal chef field by their education arm, the APPCA Institute. I helped write the Personal Chef International Code of Ethics, served on the APPCA Executive Advisory Committee and was the 2010 APPCA CHEF OF THE YEAR. I'm licensed, insured and certified as a Food Protection Manager through ServSafe™ (the same certification required of restaurant managers).
I'm always adding new, creative recipes, so grab a cup of coffee or a glass of wine and meet me in the kitchen!
Some of the Sites My Recipes Have Been Featured At:
Find some of them at:
Meet Jade!
For more information about From A Chef's Kitchen, working with me and all the legal stuff, visit these pages: