While growing up on a farm in central Illinois, Chef DeAnna didn't do a lot of the cooking but she was always in charge of making the salad. Today, her clients rave about her wonderful fresh mixed salads which always vary the combination of fresh vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, and dried berries.
As a child, dinnertime was a time of connecting the family in the kitchen at the end of the day. But her real passion for cooking came later when during her college years, she began throwing elaborate dinner parties. Sunday afternoons were reserved for the Frugal Gourmet (Jeff Smith). "I really learned a lot about equipment and technique from him. He always appeared to have so much fun, it was contagious. I enjoyed emulating and elaborating on his recipes."
During the 1990's, fabulous food took a backseat to 'what the kids will eat,' and gathering her young family together to share their day became as important as what was on the table. In 1997, she was introduced to the concept of factory food production systems and turned her attention to studying its impact on the nutritional value of food. She joined with an expert in the field of nutrition, Dr. Laurine Brown, Ph.D., MPH and together they founded LIVING upstream (an environmental health organization). Their mission was to educate others on the importance of where our food comes from, how it is produced, and the effects on nutritional value and our health. Connections were also made to the emotional and psychological impact food has in society. Again the value of connecting the family at the end of the day became important.
The turning point came in the spring of 2001 with the completion of her 'dream kitchen' in the 100+ year old farmhouse she shares with her husband of 17 years and 2 daughters. The desire for the fabulous dinner parties was rekindled and during an elegant luncheon she hosted for several friends, her dear friend and colleague, Laurine, suggested she "should be getting paid to do this." Thus the seed was planted and shortly thereafter an internet search led her to PCN.
Since that time, she has provided nutritious delicious meals to her time-starved clients allowing them the opportunity to connect around the table and share their day while enjoying a nutritious home-cooked meal. She has also connected with a local hospital to teach occasional classes on a variety of topics. More recently she has begun providing her customized menu service to a limited number of discriminating brides. While she says she never intended to provide for larger crowds, she recognized there is a huge demand out there for something a little different that the usual catered fare. "I get tremendous pleasure in making a couple's special day even more special."
"This business has been a labor of love," she states, "and I couldn’t have done it without the support and encouragement I receive from PCN. It truly is THE place to be, to be the best PC!"
