A Pinch of This…

Northwest Herald Newspaper

Thursday, October 15, 2009 1:15 a.m. CDT

MARENGO – It’s Joe Zaranski’s business to make sure that his customers eat well in their homes.

Zaranski’s new business, A Pinch of This Personal Chef and Catering, has him going into his clients’ kitchens to prepare up to 10 dinners for them at a time – anything from chicken marsala to meatloaf.

It’s all about ensuring that his clients eat well even when they don’t have the time to shop or cook, said Zaranski, a Marengo resident.

“I prepare in-home meal preparation for time-starved people who have two incomes or just don’t want to spend the time,” said Zaranski, who started his business in June. “I do all the shopping, prepare the food, chill it and wrap it. They can get gourmet meals for a lot
less than they can get in a restaurant.”

Before starting A Pinch of This, Zaranski worked as executive chef at Italian Village Restaurant in Chicago for five years, graduating from the Art Institute of Phoenix’s culinary program.

“The commute back and forth to the city was getting a bit tiring,” Zaranski said, adding that the new business allowed more time for his family.

Before shopping for a client, Zaranski assesses any food allergies or dietary needs.

“It’s very, very detailed and very, very personal to the client’s specific needs,’” he said.

And every meal is planned with the client, down to where the food is bought.

“If a client has specific stores they want me to shop in, that’s where I go,” Zaranski said. “If I have to get specialty items, I’ll go in closer to the city.”

Zaranski will prepare the meals while the customer is at work or if someone is home, making up to 10 dinners at one time for each family member. His fee for cooking 10 meals for up to three people is $275 plus the cost of groceries, with the cost escalating with each additional family member.

Most people, he said, waste money by over-shopping and end up throwing food away.

“I buy specifically for what I’m going to make and for how much I’m going to make,” he said. “I’ll make anything from restaurant-quality meals to meatloaf or any kind of comfort foods.”

Aside from the main dish, Zaranski also prepares side dishes and desserts, depending on what his clients want, and he’ll travel as far as Barrington, Rockford, Lake Geneva and Elgin to cook.

Aside from preparing meals for clients, Zaranski also books dinner parties, wine tasting parties and cooking lessons, all in his customers’ homes. Gift certificates for new moms, anniversaries and other occasions also are available.

A member of the American Personal and Private Chefs Association, which is affiliated with the American Culinary Foundation, Zaranski is a licensed chef.

“We take everything very seriously,” he said of association members.