Jonathan A. Carr of
Scarborough has begun a personal chef service called Man With a Pan®. Chef
Carr, in a sophisticated variation of a caterer, will come into your kitchen to
cook and serve - and clean up - a gourmet meal for up to 20 people.
He will also
prepare and package meals for the freezer. Additionally, he offers in-home
cooking demonstrations and lessons, as well as gift certificates for his
services. His business is aimed at anyone who wants a special-event
dinner, busy families with little time to cook and people who are hosting any
kind of small party.
Chef Carr is a
Maine native, and uses seasonal Maine products in his menus. Summer meals,
for example, might feature native tomatoes, corn, peppers and zucchini.
His repertoire is adaptable to meet any dietary need.
Chef Carr differs
from a caterer because he customizes his menus based on client consultations,
prepares the food in the client's kitchen, and limits the size of his jobs to
maintain personal attention for each client's event.
A computer
programmer by training, Chef Carr decided to leave his job to pursue his dream
of working as a chef. He has honed his skills through cooking classes
locally, regionally and in Provence, France.
Chef's Statement
I cook for the enjoyment that it gives me and to see the
look of satisfaction on the person who is eating my creations. Cooking is a
creative outlet for me, I use the freshest and best ingredients so that my
clients will enjoy the visual, taste, and texture aspects of the meal that I
prepare.
Cooking allows me to
express my creativity by trying different combinations of foods. I like to see
the reaction of the person eating my creation when they first put it their
mouth. I like the feeling of knowing that something that I have created can
make people feel good, and I know that I have done my job when they go back for
more.
I want people who taste my
food to have an experience that they will never forget, that what they have
tasted is like nothing they have ever had before. I cooked for one client and
knew that I had hit the mark when they told me that what they were eating was
'heaven on earth'. That's what I am looking for when I cook.
