VACATIONING IN WINE COUNTRY AND LOOKING FOR A PRIVATE CHEF?

When we rent vacation homes with friends and family, we often want a private chef to come cook for us in “our” house for a night or two during our stay.

Nothing fancy, nothing over-the-top; just nourishing food made from the ingredients surrounding us dished up in a way that makes us feel at home.

Now I'm turning the tables and offering that private chef experience here in my stomping grounds — Sonoma County wine country!

If you're a group of 6-12 people renting a vacation home in the Healdsburg area and are looking for just that kind of experience dished up at “your place,” then please do get in touch. (I have limited availability, so ping me sooner rather than later.)

HERE'S WHAT'S INCLUDED IN A MEAL:

PLANNING | SHOPPING | PREPPING | COOKING | SERVING | CLEANING

(i.e., all you have to do is chill out and enjoy a fabulous dinner in the comfort of your “own” home)

Some other fun options (can be included as add-ons or stand alone):

• Demonstration cooking class — I teach at Relish here in Healdsburg (which I highly recommend) and Rancho La Puerta Resort and Spa (ditto), and can turn your evening meal into a personal demonstration cooking class.
• Hands-on cooking class — If you want to get even more involved, that's great. I'll teach you and your friends how to use seasonal produce, sustainable meat and seafood, and whole grains with a private hands-on cooking class for your group.

“Lia is an incredibly engaging leader and the guests at our classes are always delighted with her. She manages to strike a balance between stretching people's boundaries while keeping it simple, which means people walk away inspired and enthusiastic rather than overwhelmed.” ~ Donna del Rey, owner Relish Culinary

• Custom food and wine tours — Having lived here in wine country for over a decade and being steeped in the food and wine biz, I've made a lot of friends that do very, very cool things with wine and food. I can custom design a day for your group with off-the beaten path visits to artisan food-makers, wine-makers and artists' havens. Most of these places you don't find in guidebooks.
• Farmers market tours — The bounty of Healdsburg is breathtaking. I can take you and your group on a tour of the farmers market and teach you about everything from nettles to kohlrabi to squid, introducing you to the farmers and purveyors along the way.
• Book reading and signing — After dinner story time with the author of NOURISHED: A Memoir of Food, Faith and Enduring Love (with Recipes)? Heck yea. Just let me know how many copies you'd like.

Call me at 707 – 322 – 9401 if you're interested in learning more. I'd love to nourish you while you're in wine country!

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A bit about me:

I've been a food writer and recipe developer for major magazines like Cooking Light, Better Homes & Gardens, Eating Well and Health for nearly two decades. Nine years ago, I founded NOURISH Evolution (which I was named Entrepreneur of the Year for) with the mission to “inspire and equip people to live richer lives through real food.”

The “equipping” portion of my mission is fulfilled through my online meal planning program, Cook the Seasons, my online video course the NOURISH 10-Day Reset, and my Food Is … Small Group Coaching Program. I address the “inspiring” part of the equation through speaking, media appearances and my book, NOURISHED: A Memoir of Food, Faith and Enduring Love (with Recipes), which was published by Convergent — an imprint of Penguin Random House — in 2017.

I was on the board of Slow Food Sonoma County and was a co-Chair of the Food Writers, Editors and Publishers Section of the International Association of Culinary Professionals. But my proudest titles are being Mama to 11-1/2 year old Noemi and wife to Christopher. I love being in the garden (and cooking with the bounty!), speak fluent French and quasi-fluent Spanish, and suffer from a persistent case of wanderlust.