Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Food & Drink

What Michelin-Starred Chefs Are Eating at Home

By
messy fridge that needs to be cleaned
Image used with permission by copyright holder

When you think of the top chefs in the universe, it’s easy to assume they eat well. Wouldn’t an accomplished culinary mind want to eat elevated fare, even away from the kitchen workplace?

Well, the answer is a bit of a yes and no. A complex dish can be just the thing, even off the clock. If nothing else, it’s easier for an award-winning chef to make a Croque Monsieur or Cioppino, just based on skillset alone. But even the best of the best aren’t necessarily above a good peanut butter and jelly sandwich or guilty pleasure snack from the machine down the hall.

Recommended Videos

We chatted up a few prominent chefs, all with at least a coveted Michelin star to their name, to see what they like to eat at home. In many ways, we got a brief peek into the fridges and pantries of these talented individuals. We came away equal parts enlightened and hungry.

Related

Chef Matt Hobbs

Hobbs currently cooks at Christian Koepke’s highly regarded production studio-turned-eatery NORR Kitchen in Portland. Before, he was chef de cuisine at Rosa Rosa and executive sous chef at Michelin-starred Blue Duck Tavern in D.C.

“As the season turns to fall, one of my absolute go-to dishes for this time of year has to be my great grandmother’s Posole Verde,” Hobbs says. The dish is a rich salsa verde made with roasted tomatillos and pasilla chiles, pulled chicken, rich broth, hominy, and garnished with all the fixings such as radish, cilantro, onion, crema, cotija, serrano chiles, oregano, and lime. “Nothing pairs better with homemade tortillas,” he adds.

Chef Hobbs is also the first to admit he’s in love with sugar. “Chocolate chip cookies and saltwater taffy are two of my guilty go-to pleasures,” he admits. What about when the savory urge strikes? That’s when Hobbs whips up a batch of muhammara and homemade flatbread. The former is a spicy dip of Turkish origin made with walnuts, bell peppers, bread crumbs, and pomegranate molasses.

For sipping, Hobbs admits what he likes is a bit of a cliche. “Matcha latte,” he says.

Chef Donald Young

Chef Donald Young.
Neil Burger

Venteux is one of Windy City’s newest and most exciting restaurants. Manning the kitchen is Donald Young, the youngest Chicago chef to ever be awarded a Michelin star. He’s a true Francophile and studied under Simon Scott at Saveurs. He’s also worked at Miramar Bistro, Les Nomades, and Temporis.

Even the sharpest culinary minds can’t resist a good old-fashioned lunch. “For meals at home, I like to make a loaf of fresh bread on my day off and use it for sandwiches throughout the week,” Young says. “I’m a huge fan of layering it high with cheese and Boar’s Head deli meats then having some baked-style chips on the side.”
To wash it down, Young prefers ever-reliable bubbly water, not unlike most of us. “I’m a big La Croix drinker, I always have cans of that in my fridge at home,” he says.

Chef David Costa

California has had a banner year for culinary achievements. This year, the Michelin Guide will feature 27 new star announcements in the Golden State. One of those was awarded to ADEGA in San Jose. It’s a Portuguese joint where Chef David Costa does his thing.

“Fall is one of the best seasons,” he says. “So many wonderful items become available this time of year.” In particular, Costa is s drawn to chestnuts and quince. On his days off, he likes roasting the latter, just like they do in Lisbon—over a live charcoal fire and eaten while hot.

With quince, Costa is all about the homemade marmelada. “It’s a labor of love, especially to get the right consistency,” he admits. “But chestnuts and marmelada go excellent with an old Tawny Port on a day off!”

Not going to argue with that. Now get into the kitchen and make yourself a snack, like the pros do.

Editors' Recommendations

Mark Stock
Mark Stock
Contributor
Mark Stock is a writer from Portland, Oregon. He fell into wine during the Recession and has been fixated on the stuff since…
What to eat before a workout: These are the best pre-workout snacks
The best pre-workout snacks to fuel your workout
best pre-workout snacks.

Whether you work out first thing in the morning or hit the gym after work, a portion of healthy pre-workout food is an important step in fueling your body for the exercise ahead. Not sure what to eat before a workout? A pre-workout snack should contain carbohydrates to top off your energy stores, protein to provide amino acids to your muscles, and fat to keep hunger at bay and blood sugar levels stable. Good pre-workout snacks leave you feeling energized and strong without feeling bloated, heavy, or running to the bathroom, so they should contain complex carbohydrates without an excessive amount of fiber, fat, or volume.
Rich foods or excess protein can cause heartburn and indigestion during exercise, so opt for light, balanced pre-workout snacks. Pre-workout snacks should ideally be consumed 30-90 minutes before exercise, depending on the type of exercise you’ll be doing, the planned intensity and duration, how hungry versus fueled you feel, and what you are eating for your pre-workout snack. The closer it is to your workout, the lighter and more carbohydrate-based the snack should be because protein and fat will slow digestion, potentially reducing the effectiveness of your pre-workout snack.
Ultimately, fueling yourself properly with the best pre-workout snacks before you hit the gym, head out on a run, or take a spin class will allow your body to have the nutrients and building blocks it needs to power your activity and maximize the gains from your workout. If you’re overly hungry, weak, and lacking the glycogen needed to push your body, your performance will be lower and you’ll make slower progress on your fitness goals. Therefore, keep reading for our recommendations for the best pre-workout snacks to step up your fueling game and take your workout gains to the next level.

The best pre-workout snacks to try
Cheese, fruit, and turkey
Cheese and fruit or fruit and a protein like chicken breast, turkey, tuna, tofu, or tempeh provide a balance of sustained energy and quick energy before you work out. You can even make a small wrap with a whole-grain tortilla, cheese, a few veggies, and your favorite protein. Just make sure to keep the portion small or eat it 90 minutes or so before you hit the gym to give your stomach ample time to digest.

Read more
Did you know these popular foods are high in saturated fat?
The foods high in saturated fat you may want to cut out of your diet
An array of meats and cheeses.

Saturated fat is a fat that is solid when at room temperature. This happens because all of the carbon molecules are connected by double bonds. Butter is an example of a food high in saturated fat. On the other hand, olive oil contains unsaturated fats, and that is why it is liquid at room temperature rather than solid.

Foods high in saturated fat have long been associated with raising “bad” LDL cholesterol levels and increasing the risk of heart disease, cardiovascular disease, and certain inflammatory conditions. However, there is also newer evidence potentially debunking this thinking, as some studies show that certain saturated fats, such as those found in coconut, can lower cholesterol levels and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Most nutritionists and dietitians suggest limiting your intake of processed saturated fats—such as those in hot dogs, doughnuts, or mayonnaise—to no more than 10% of your daily caloric intake or a daily value of 20 grams. Instead, focus on foods high in monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats, such as anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids. Not sure what kind of fat is in your favorite foods? Keep reading for a list of high saturated fats foods, and see if you can replace some of them with healthier options.

Read more
The 10 best places to order meat online in 2024
no carb food list best mail order meat online 2021

We are natural carnivores. One of the food items we crave is meat, and nothing beats a good roast, grill, bake, or sear of a delicious cut of meat. And if you know how to smoke meat like a pro, you have a gift. But with prices skyrocketing, many local grocery stores running out of stock, and an explosion of online and e-commerce options, buying your meat locally only sometimes makes sense. As an alternative, you can actually buy fresh meat online. You get what you're craving, it's delivered right to your doorstep, and you can freeze it until you're ready to cook. Sure, you'll always be at the mercy of the market price of meat, but since direct-to-buyer meat suppliers don't face many of the overhead costs of a local butcher or supermarket, the prices are very comparable. Regardless, if any of this sounds enticing to you, we will look at the best places to buy fresh meat online in 2024. Put on your apron, grab a decent blade, and let's cut into it.

 
The TK best places to buy fresh meat online

Read more