Chef Skip Zornow

Being awarded the Pacesetter Personal Chef Award™ is a wonderful achievement at Personal Chefs Network, Inc.™ The person that receives this special recognition has been carefully selected by Chefs Sharon and Wendy due to their own personal or business success. Many are chosen due to their successful marketing ideas, their wonderful recipes, their activity in the ~Member's Online Community~,™ networking abilities, leaders in the industry, or willingness to share innovative ideas. We like to think outside of the box at Personal Chefs Network™ and we encourage our members to do the same.

Enjoy reading about this successful startup and hopefully this months pacesetter will inspire YOU to take the first step today and join Personal Chefs Network, Inc!™

"THE Place to be, to be the BEST PC!™"

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Personal Chef Skip Zornow was raised in a culinary household. He learned at an early age that meals did not consist of just Cheerios and Hot Dogs. He remember his parents used to watch the old “Galloping Gourmet” show with Graham Kerr, sitting there with pens poised over notepaper, glasses of wine at their sides, ready for his next culinary extravaganza! Then they would try to re-create the recipes in their home kitchen…usually a disaster! They failed to note that Kerr’s staff was actually doing the cooking backstage whilst he drank wine and pretended to cook onstage!

Due to his father’s career as a naval officer, they used to entertain a lot, usually with an international spin to the meal. They were especially fascinated by the Asian and East Indian dishes, and mornings after a party always provided for exotic breakfasts. Plus it was fun to help with the preparations and watch the last minute craziness. “Somehow, all of that madness appealed to me,” Skip remembers.

So began Skip’s career in the foodservice industry. “I probably received a better education through OJT (on the job training) than at some high priced culinary school.” Some of that training involved rustling up New Orleans cuisine, which felt right at home, having lived in that center of gustatory fame for six years. But, he says, it ceased to be fun after the first 15 years, so he tried to change careers and sold cars for a while. That became un-fun after about 3 years and somehow he ended up in a kitchen again. “It was like a magnet…I was attracted to stainless steel”!

After almost thirty years in foodservice, with the last eighteen in management, Skip had had enough. “I got to the point where I hated my employees!” The customers were fine, the staff was the problem.” Then one day, Skip’s Aunt Doris told him about an article she’d read about personal chefs, and that it would be perfect for him. “I’d heard about them before but never really paid attention to it. This time it registered…like a gong going off!” So, in April of 2001, Amazing Grapes Personal Chef Service was born. “It was a slow birth…it took almost 30 years!”

Skip started researching personal chefs online and found that there was a whole world out there. He looked at the three main associations, and after a very honest email from Sharon, decided that Personal Chefs Network was THE place to be the Best PC.

“Reading some of the forums, I saw how much trouble people were having coming up with a business name. I’d played drums in rock ‘n roll bands in my younger days and coming up with names for the band was always a horror show,” remembers Skip. “But the name, Amazing Grapes Personal Chef Service, just came to me. Coupled with the hymn, it was definitely heaven sent”.

Skip ran his business part time until the end of 2002, while still employed full-time as a chef at a local country club. Finally, it was time. “They kept cutting back my hours at the club, and my business phone was ringing more than ever, so it was time to take that leap of faith.” 

Not only is Amazing Grapes growing, Skip also does catering, partnering with a local restaurant owner. “It’s a good combination of talents, and we’re able to offer a better variety of services. We’ve got plans in Zoning to build a catering kitchen this summer. Hopefully, this will keep me going through the lean months off season.” It looks like Skip is attracted to that stainless steel again!

After a long day of personal cheffing, Skip comes home and again realizes that this is what it’s all about…no staff, no problems, just good cooking!

Amazing Grapes Personal Chef Service
239-543-2658

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