chef spotlight ·

Building Your Kitchen IQ

Building Your Kitchen IQ

At reVessel we spend a lot of time designing in and around the box, especially when perfecting the smart and stylish Adventure Kit. But when we're not sourcing bamboo and molding stainless steel, we’re thinking outside the box - exploring the ecosystem around what to put in the box, and who makes the food we crave. reVessel is excited to promote our second featured San Diego chef and food educator. You’ll find Chef Ng around town instructing our community at local events & workshops and serving up amazing meals as a personal chef. We met her in her role as the facilitator at the Berry Good Food Academy.

We asked her to test-drive our Adventure Kit and here's what we learned. For Chef Ng, being able to directly cook and bake in each of the individual vessels made so much sense. She is excited that this will reduce the number of dishes used to prep, cook, serve, and best of all wash! She also shares our consciousness around reducing plastics. Chef Ng describes how dependent her industry is on single-use plastics. We can all benefit from greater forethought and overhaul of the process of reducing and recycling containers and in return have greener kitchens.

Ng's practice is rooted in supporting local farmers, beyond sustainable foods, and devising distinctive meals. Alongside the Berry Good Foundation and Specialty Produce, we're thrilled to be offering the chance for the local community to attend our Building Your Kitchen IQ class, the first in a series supported by reVessel and food and farming advocates. Here Chef Ng will transform the afternoon into a private culinary adventure; turning local, seasonal and organic ingredients into real, fresh, delicious snacks, meals and healthy delights anyone can prepare. The goal of the event? To inspire with simple, fun and practical techniques you can bring home and bring anywhere life takes you, using new kitchen tools we've developed.

In advance of the class, our founder, Jessica sat down with Chef Ng to find out what fires her up.

Jessica: What do you look for in the food you source?
Chef Ng:
  • The first thing to look for in a well-sourced product is the passion of the grower and the extent to which they describe the fruit of their labor. First impressions are everything, and if the farmer can convey the thoroughness and passion I seek, I know their product will be exceptional. My philosophy is important as it is my differentiating trait that separates me from my peers. Being able to translate the relationship I’ve forged with farmers and purveyors to the guests is something that I’m quite proud to do with every experience I provide.

 

Jessica: What is a highlight of your career?
Chef Ng:

  • I’d have to say attending and serving my food at the annual “Celebrate the Craft” event at the Lodge at Torrey Pines was a great success! Being alongside such an institution in San Diego was a great honor.

 

Jessica: What’s been one of your greatest career obstacles?
Chef Ng:

  • I have learned that through challenges, it is necessary to count on someone else to help bear the weight. Too many times, I put my head down and sailed alone along the bumpy waters, refusing help. To be truly successful, I see it takes vulnerability and softness and willingness to let others help. It’s only together that we can keep the boat afloat through rising tides.

 

Jessica: Where do you see your career going?
Chef Ng:

  • I envision my career leaning towards the food education sector, where I can connect the dots between growers and consumers. Whether at a basic 101, introductory level, or even at a professional level class, I’d love to share my knowledge with others through the medium of local food.

 

Jessica: What do you do when not cooking?
Chef Ng:

  • Sounds crazy, but I love baking! Bread making using the sourdough method has been a hobby of mine that I’m absolutely in love with.

 

Jessica: What are your favorite ingredients to work with?
Chef Ng:

  • I love working with seasonal fruit, incorporating into sweet and savory recipes. At the moment, stone fruit and figs are my muses. During the winter, citrus reigns supreme especially Meyer lemons and kumquats!

 

Jessica: What are you most known for?
Chef Ng:

  • My work at local, farm to table events, bringing guests closer to the source by letting them use their senses - seeing, smelling and tasting the bounty of the season.

 

Jessica: Alongside your workshops, you also have private clients. What services do you offer?
Chef Ng:

  • I provide a weekly, delivered meal service for my clients that is tailored to specific dietary plans such as an Anti-Inflammatory Protocol (AIP), Diabetic, Candida Diet. I also cater to clients looking to have private events utilizing local, seasonal produce and products.

 

Jessica: What change do you wish to see in the world?

Chef Ng:

  • I wish to see local people connecting with small farms and growers that are right under their noses. I think good food should be and is accessible to all, especially in San Diego, home to the highest number of small farms per capita. It’s just about finding the right fit for the right clientele.

 

Jessica: Where can folks learn more about you?
Chef Ng:

Uncontainable