Wednesday, July 7, 2004
One chef to go, please
By Yadira Betances
Staff Writer

On days that Gina Bozek doesn't have time to cook for her family, she has a backup in her kitchen.

His name is Michael Ouellette, an experienced chef who cooks up whatever the Bozeks might like from his menu. Ouellette is a personal chef who delivers precooked meals to clients, sometimes cooking them right in the person's kitchen.

"It's helpful," said Bozek, a teacher at the Greater Lawrence Educational Collaborative. "It gives us a chance to sit down as a family and eat a meal."

The Danville, N.H., woman is one of a growing number of people saving time and spending money to have a personal chef such as Ouellette do the cooking for them.

These chefs will prepare breakfast, lunch and/or dinner and package them to be reheated. The Bozeks pay $250 for 10 meals every two weeks. Ouellette meets with them to plan the meals. Marinated steak tips, honey mustard chicken and potato salad are among the Bozeks' favorites.

Bozek hired Ouellette two years ago. She had worked at the counter at Ouellette's restaurant, so she was familiar with his food. When Bozek and her husband Joe found themselves strapped for time because of their jobs and the need to care for their year-old son, Joseph Roger, it was decided the best answer was to have Ouellette do the cooking for them.

"It was easier than cooking at 9 p.m.," she said.

Ouellette does the grocery shopping and completes some of the cooking at the Bozeks' home. He prepares the food so they only have to heat it up in the microwave or oven, and Ouellette marinates meat so they can just throw it on the grill.

"It's worth it," Bozek said. "It's so much easier. We used to be big into takeout, but this is a home-cooked meal we can eat at home."