Jeanette Warne Catering

Jeanette Warne Catering

ph: 443-561-4610
jeanette@jeanettewarnecatering.com

About

I am a trained pastry chef and graduate (with distinction) of the Pastry Arts Program at L'Academie de Cuisine Culinary School in Gaithersburg, Maryland.

I am also a self-taught cook whose early influences were formulated by my mother and grandmother. Growing up in what I remember as a lush, beautiful and bountiful Sierra Leone, I was no stranger to wholesome, fresh home cooking! Even though we didn't live on a traditional farm, we grew our own fruits and vegetables. We had a non-stop supply of fresh eggs hatched in our own thriving chicken coops. It was a common way of life which made it very hard for this Sierra Leonean girl to get used to the taste of what I often call “prefabricated foods” such as potatoes from a box or fast food!

In many West African countries like Sierra Leone, supermarkets were mainly stocked with imported foods and everyday sundries. You could either go to market to purchase fresh produce or grow it in your own backyard. Meat was sold by the butcher, fish by the fishmonger right off the wharf as the catch of the day was being brought to shore in shipping boats. Fresh bread was baked three times a day by the baker. Everyone was an artisan of something! Everyone cooked with fresh ingredients everyday and we always knew where our food came from, because each one of those artisans grew, cultivated or harvested their respective products. This artisan way of life, connection to our food source and growers and discriminating taste for finest ingredients is what defines me as a chef and cook, and passion is what drives me.

When I'm not running my company, I am teaching classes or ultimately talking food all day long to whomever will listen!

My Mission:

My mission is to provide my clients with the best quality savory and pastry foods and service every time. It's as simple as that!

With the cooking classes, my mission is also simple.... "learning through cooking"

I encourage all class participants to discover the joys of cooking and know where your food comes from...from farm to plate all while obtaining basic culinary techniques in a fun and open environment.

Questions and Answers

Q. What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a cooking instructor?

A. From the minute you first talk to your cooking instructor, you should hear, see, feel the passion that he or she exudes!

Cooking is not rocket science! It's all about passion! It's not about arrogance. Nor should it be a chore! There has to be an overabundance of passion to sustain you through the process.

Q. If you were a customer, what do you wish you knew about your trade? Any inside secrets to share?

A. I went to culinary school to learn about pastry arts and to increase my knowledge on food science and techniques. I had been cooking and baking since I was 10 years old but I still felt that there were so many missing links. So when I teach, I teach from the perspective of filling in the missing links.

I'd like to understand the reasons behind culinary procedures and techniques. And those procedures and techniques ARE the "inside secrets"!

Q. What questions should a consumer ask to hire the right service professional?

A. For cooking instructor/classes, I think your questions should be personal. For example,

Let the instructor know if you have any food allergies and if he/she makes any allowances for this.
Ask the instructor what the class expectations are; is the class an advanced, intermediate or beginner level class.
Find out what class structure is; is the class a demonstration or participation class. Demonstration classes are just that! The instructor lectures on technique from beginning to end of class. Class "students" watch the demo and there might be a food tasting at the end of the demonstration. Participation classes are where class "participants" get involved with menu preparations. Mixed format class combine both elements of demo and participation in menu preparation.

Q. What do you like most about your job?

A. Nothing thrills me more than to watch how my students evolve in learning about a culinary technique, an introduction to a particular spice, ingredient or flavor! This is what the culinary arts should be all about! Imparting something tangible and transferable and thus worthwhile the money spent.

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Jeanette Warne Catering

ph: 443-561-4610
jeanette@jeanettewarnecatering.com