Let's Eat Home Personal Chef Service
Let's Eat Home Personal Chef Service

Let's Eat Home Personal Chef Service

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Introduction
Proud to be ranked "Best of 2015 & 2016 Personal Chefs in the Chicago Area" for Thumbtack! As the owner and personal chef of Let's Eat Home!, my approach is to treat my patrons like family. When cooking for loved ones, I can't help but go beyond culinary technique and prepare meals from the heart. I can only hope the fare that I leave for my clients will not only appeal to the palate but also to our collective memory of what good food awakens in us: memories of home, hearth, loving parents and grandparents, and the joy of being taken care of. As a Let's Eat Home! patron, you will experience dishes that are inspired and influenced by the generosity and hospitality of Mediterranean cooking and culture and the gourmet approach of European cuisine. I also enjoy the farm-fresh emphasis of California cooking: food that reflects the freshest ingredients, cooked simply and beautifully; lighter sauces that enhance rather than conceal; and, most importantly, a free-wheeling spirit of adventure in the kitchen. Also reflecting our farm-fresh approach, during the summer months we grow our own herbs and vegetables...picked fresh daily from our garden. Finally, a reservoir of menus is incomplete without the food from the past that we love the most: comfort food. All of these are combined into a culinary imagination which produces meals that are always interesting, delicious and pleasing to both the eye and the palate. Growing up in New York, I was constantly exposed to the culinary melting pot that makes up that great city. Each borough is a microcosm of countries left behind in search of a better life: Greece, Italy, Eastern Europe, The Middle East, Latin America, and the list goes on. I subscribe to the "Like Water for Chocolate" school of thought: Food is a story worth telling. My dishes reflect memories of the nurturing love, passion and devotion to food that I grew up with; these have been passed down from my grandmother to my mother, to me, and now to you. If you would like to begin service or have any questions, please contact me. I look forward to hearing from you. I service Chicago, IL, and the surrounding suburbs Deerfield, Elmhurst, Evanston, Glen Ellyn, Glencoe, Glenview, Highland Park, Hinsdale, Hyde Park, Kenilworth, Lombard, La Grange, Lake Forest, Northbrook, Oak Park, Oak Brook, Park Ridge, River Forest, Wheaton, Wheeling, Wilmette, Winnetka and others.
Overview

Hired 7 times

Background checked

1 employee

23 years in business

Payment methods

This pro accepts payments via Cash, Check, PayPal, Venmo, and Zelle.

Social media

Facebook, Instagram

Featured Projects

34 photos

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Reviews

Customers rated this pro highly for work quality, professionalism, and responsiveness.

Exceptional 5.0

13 reviews

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Janice F.
Oct 4, 2020
When my daughter-in-law was diagnosed with preeclampsia, I contacted Stephanie to see if she could provide meals for them while my daughter-in-law stayed off of her feet. Stephanie responded quickly to say that she'd be able to help. I found her pricing to be very reasonable. I was not able to sample any of the meals, as I live in another city, but my son and daughter-in-law found the meals delivered to their door to be delicious. In addition to the high quality of the food, and the options presented to them for meals, Stephanie was VERY easy to work with. My daughter-in-law's condition worsened, and there was quite a bit of uncertainty as to whether they would be in the hospital when there food was to be delivered. Stephanie responded promptly to all our texts and emails. She rearranged the meal schedule to accommodate my son and daughter-in-law. I would engage Stephanie again, and I recommend her enthusiastically. I just wish she lived in my city, and I could enjoy her meals.
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Paige R.
Aug 27, 2013
"Steph is great! Her food is wonderful and healthy. I highly recommend her to anyone looking for a personal chef."
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Alexis B.
Aug 27, 2013
Stephanie cooked for my mom and dad while they were in their 90’s and still living in their own home. If you are looking for an excellent chef, who offers an array of delicious menu choices, and is also a very kind and attentive person, you will not be disappointed in Stephanie! She’s an expert chef and knows how to run her business
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Ken W.
Aug 28, 2013
Having worked with Stephanie at private events catered by her business Let's Eat Home! Personal Chef Service, as well as being a long standing beneficiary of her personal chef services, I can attest to her exceptional talent as a chef. She is a rare gift; personable, detail oriented, and well worth every penny spent for her exceptional services. ..Highly recommended!"
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Helen M.
Sep 6, 2013
Stephanie cooked for my family for a year. The meals were delicious; fresh ingredients, innovative menu choices, delivered ready to eat immedately; freeze, or refrigerate. I liked that if you had a yen for something not on her suggestion list, she would make it for you (any way you wanted)! It was a godsend for working parents with families and little time to cook healthy, fresh meals!
Credentials
Background Check

Stephanie Podell

FAQs

  • What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?

    I studied at the French Culinary institute in NYC - and trained under the wonderful guidance of my grandmother!!

  • How did you get started doing this type of work?

    I began cooking in my grandmother's kitchen at age 11 in NYC. It was pure joy. Cooking, singing, and dancing with family. What good be better. As the years progressed, I tried more and more recipes from my mother's cookbooks..some were successes..some massive failures. But, it all served a purpose in making me the cook I am today. Like in the Julia Child movie, "Julie & Julia", I would try different recipes, making one dish after another, till I could master all types of cuisine. After college, I moved back to NYC and worked front of the house in many restaurants while pursuing a music career. Music paid the soul, but not the rent. I returned to cooking as a Private Chef for 5 years for a family in Greenwich Village. It was my dream job. When I moved to Chicago in 1999, I started my own company, designed my website, and started on my path as a Personal Chef with Let's Eat Home! PCS. I'm very proud of what I've built, the cook I've become, and the service I provide.

  • What types of customers have you worked with?

    A Personal Chef Service dedicated to serving Chicago and all surrounding Suburbs. I provide meal service for busy people: families, couples, the elderly, post-natal, etc. I offer Classic Fresh Service and Recession Gourmet Service. CFS is designed for those clients who wish to have freshly prepared meals on a weekly basis - nothing is frozen. You may choose your own dishes from our menu pages (and change ingredients should they not appeal to you) or request dishes you would like, but do not see listed here. Alternatively, once you've completed your personalized Food Questionnaire, we would also be happy to design a menu for you based on your likes, dislikes and unique palate. Because we prepare everything from scratch, we generally shop for 1-2 hours in the early morning, then prep and cook for approximately for 6-8 hours. For Classic Fresh Service, we deliver once per week and prepare 3 to 5 different entrees with 3 different side dishes (enough for the whole week). All dishes are packaged for your refrigerator for warming in the oven and/or microwave. For those wishing to lose a few pounds or are just desirous of more balanced and healthy fare, we will prepare recipes from The South Beach Diet, Cooking Light, as well as dishes from Canyon Ranch Spa. For The Recession Gourmet Service, we will prepare 3 entrees/main dishes, 1 side dish, plus a loaf of Crusty (Parmesan) Garlic Bread and a weekly sweet surprise, for an all-inclusive price. Meals will serve 2-5 people for up to 15 dinners. The price includes the chef's fee, pantry fee (all staples from Let's Eat Home's kitchen), groceries and delivery (if more than 15 miles away, there will be an additional, but nominal delivery fee). Though we do subscribe to a heart-healthy approach to cooking, we do not sacrifice flavor. We use heart-healthy oils and, if the dish calls for butter, we use it very sparingly. Our dishes reflect the freshest ingredients cooked simply and beautifully with lighter sauces that enhance rather than conceal.