Student learns by cooking

Nutrition senior Kristi Shawl stands in her kitchen. Shawl has started a personal chef service for her senior project. dan gonzales/mustang daily

By Jenni Mintz
mustang daily staff writer

Herbed ricotta stuffed shells, Dijon rosemary lamb chops served over Farfalle pasta, honey pecan crusted chicken breasts ... this is not a dream.

It’s Kristi Shawl’s senior project.

A nutritional science senior, Shawl began her own personal chef business to bring the delight of healthy and delicious dining back into the home.

The purpose of her project is to design a feasible business plan for a personal chef business, Shawl said.

Which constructing her senior project, Shawl has learned to implement the marketing tools she needs to create her own business.

First, Shawl interviews her clients and has them fill out an extensive questionnaire to find out about medical conditions, food allergies, weight loss needs, likes and dislikes. After this, she and her clients create a customized menu to fit the their needs.

As a personal chef, Shawl shops for food items on the way to her client’s house. She then prepares packaged or hot meals based on the client’s preferences.

Shawl offers a variety of different meal plans, anywhere from three entrees of four servings each to five entrees with four servings.

Although she makes a different menu for each client, Shawl has a long list of appetizers and entrees that clients can also order, such as spinach dip in a sourdough bread bowl, grilled bacon wrapped shrimp and stuffed mushroom caps.

“By sharing my love of cooking and good food, I will provide excellent quality food and services by bringing my talent into my client’s home and preparing the freshest foods possible,” Shawl said. “Part of my sales process will be in the value I place on helping busy people enjoy a home-cooked meal in the comfort of their own home. I will be helping these people restore a family value by my much-needed service.”

In her project statement, Shawl wrote that recent studies have illustrated that eating dinner as a family helps children stay out of trouble, learn in school, find out more about dealing with conflict and create a greater sense of belonging.

For households with working parents, preparing nutritional meals can be a time-consuming, stressful feat that some don’t have time for. Many families are resorting more and more to eating out to fit in with their fast-paced schedules.

With a personal chef, families can have everything — taste, nutrition and family unity — if they can afford it, she said.

Shawl’s target market is mostly middle-to upper-class families. The average college student may not be able to afford her meals, which range from $150 to $225 per meal plan.

Although perhaps pricey for the avid fast food diner, Shawl said her meals could save money in the long run.

“Once you add in taxes, tips and gas money, dining out can get really expensive,” Shawl said.

Unlike fast food or restaurants, Shawl’s packaged meals can last for up to a month.

So far, Shawl has five clients that she prepares food for on a weekly or monthly basis.

San Luis Obispo resident and business owner Andrea Herron’s family of four have utilized Shawl’s service. She said that they were very pleased with Shawl’s cooking, and want to have her around as long as they can. They are on a weekly plan, with three to four main courses of six servings each.

“I’m much less stressed out,” Herron said. “It is so nice, when you come home after eight hours of working, to not have to worry about what’s for dinner. It’s amazing.”

Herron’s family includes an 84-year-old and a teenager. Shawl prepares food differently for each family member according to preference, so everyone is satisfied.

“Part of the reason I like cooking for people is because I like making them happy,” Shawl said. “Food is a big source of happiness, which is why this is a really fulfilling job.”