Food discovery is at the heart of what feeding your potential is all about. As the first female “Iron Chef,” Cat Cora couldn’t be a better personification of this in finding inspiration from her family, her heritage and her godfather in particular. She balances her love of food and health by infusing healthy Mediterranean-style cooking and ingredients into her dishes, and, at Aramark, we are honored to bring her creation, OLILO, to lovers of Mediterranean food around the country. We caught up with Cat to learn about the creation of her eclectic dishes and for guidance about developing your very own cooking style. Whether you’re just advancing past “expert microwaver” or hope to expand your culinary repertoire – let this restauranteur, lifestyle entrepreneur, author and TV personality inspire you.
How did you develop a love for cooking?
I come from a big family in Mississippi, and cooking and spending time in the kitchen together was a big part of my childhood. My mother and father, my grandmother, and my godparents were all great cooks. My father smoked meats and was a grillmeister, my mother and grandmother taught me eclectic cooking and foods from various regions, and my godfather was a French-trained restauranteur. Our family had some of our best moments and memories around the dinner table.
While I learned a lot about food from my entire family, my godfather taught me how to cure salmon with citrus and lemon and herbs and garlic and other flavors, almost ceviche style. That moment parachuted me into classical cuisine and inspired me to go into the industry. It was a real discovery moment for me.
Why do you love the Mediterranean diet?
I’ve always been focused on healthy eating, but also delicious eating. The Mediterranean diet is the perfect fit. I think the Mediterranean diet is the healthiest diet on the planet and its flavors are really tasty. There’s also so much variety! Mediterranean cuisine includes so many foods, including what I call “sun foods” – foods like citrus, eggplant, tomatoes, and olives – and covers dishes from Spain, Italy, Greece and more. I can cook many cuisines, but at the end of the day, I have a love affair with Mediterranean food. It is really what inspires me and is my soul food.
How can people start incorporating Mediterranean diet basics to their meals?
Grilling is a great way to apply Mediterranean techniques and foods. Sometimes I’ll do my whole meal on the grill. People often don’t think of grilling stone fruit, but I often grill it for an appetizer. I also like grilling artichokes with a tangerine aioli, or lamb chops with salsa verde. Then, you can add fresh fish or lean meat or shellfish, and you can create your whole meal on the grill. You can also apply some of the techniques indoors by pan searing or sautéing foods, which is quick and healthy because you’re using less oil and fat to get the desired result. Also, use olive oil. Extra virgin olive oil is one of the elixirs of health and longevity.
What suggestions do you have for people trying to find their cooking style?
Start with what you know. Look at your heritage, and start with what you find exciting or what you have a great memory about, and expand from there. For example, if you come from a Spanish family and paella was big in your family, expand your paellas and seek out the rest of what is in that cuisine.
Also, find what gets you juiced up. Do you love being on the grill and cooking outdoors? Do you love baking? Do you love cooking savory dishes? You can build your signature style by starting with what you know and your heritage, and considering what you like to do with food.
What tips do you have for cooking rookies?
It’s all about prepping. To this day, I still make a handwritten list when I go grocery shopping. You can also prepare some parts of your meals or ingredients in advance. Sauces usually keep for a couple of days, you can prep vegetables the night before, and you can marinate meats the night before, too.
As for choosing what to cook, start simple. What I started with, and what a lot of new cooks in culinary school start with, is roasting a chicken. Not only is it inexpensive, but it’s very forgiving. Just simple olive oil, lemon, herbs, salt and pepper. And then branch out from there. If you start with something simple, you’ll have the confidence to move on to something a little more difficult next time.
With Cat’s advice in mind, try taking some time this week to explore what inspires you. A dose of creativity is all it takes to prepare healthy and flavorful meals that can fuel you to live a more balanced lifestyle. To make it a tad easier, here are some simple recipes to kick off your discovery.
Note: Since everyone’s health history and nutritional needs are so different, please make sure that you talk with your doctor and a registered dietitian to get advice about the diet and exercise plan that‘s right for you.
Note: Since everyone’s health history and nutritional needs are so different, please make sure that you talk with your doctor and a registered dietitian to get advice about the diet and exercise plan that‘s right for you.