My name is Jeff. I’m not a chef or a nutritionist. I have not been trained professionally through school either. I’m just a dude who is passionate about good food and GREAT health. Since I was a little boy, I can remember trying to make food in my Grandma Vetsa’s kitchen. When I would stay over for the night, I would sneak out of my room, get in the kitchen and would try to surprise her by the time she woke up. It wasn’t what I was making but the gift of cooking that I enjoyed so much. To this day, as you will hear in a series of videos, I cook not just because I enjoy it but because I love to see others enjoy my food and my enthusiasm for thoughtful, healthy and delicious meals.
Growing up, my family taught me about life, food and the true meaning of sharing. We were always at the table for dinner and we talked about life. The good things, the bad things but most importantly, we just talked about our day. While breaking bread and passing the dishes around the table, we connected on a personal level. That mindset started my journey. I knew my life was fulfilled with family, friends and food!
Traveling to and living in Spain as I finished college gave me a burning desire to eat well and live well. I fell in love with the people of Spain. I lived in a small town in the Andalusia in Granada. I was enamored with the food and the Mediterranean culture. It would forever change my life. I’ll never forget my Spanish host Mom Isabel. She made amazing meals with simple ingredients. Wether it was a vegetable soup, a Catalan fish stew or an authentic Paella, her food spoke to me and changed my perspective on life and nourishment. Both at home in our flat or out on the town for Tapas and a glass of wine, my experience in Spain and then through-out Europe changed my life tremendously.
That brings me to my life here at home. Seattle is where I call home now. I love it here. We have amazing seafood, incredible farm to table restaurants and some of the best wine in the world just 3 hours away. My life in Seattle is simple. Professionally, I help family, friends and complete strangers buy and sell real estate. It has been a passion and I enjoy it every day. Outside of my career, I’m happily married to a beautiful soul that I met in College. She is a huge inspiration and one of the reasons I cook as often as I do. We have a life that home that is full of healthy food, good wine and great friends. I would not change a thing.
Starting this blog is important for a number of reasons. I know how to cook and that is only part of it. I pay attention to labels, ingredients and where I source my food. I cook without harmful substances or heavily processed food. I love to cook with color. I love seafood. I love vegetables. More than anything, I live to cook and cook to live. I think I have wonderful things to share with all of you. I hope you enjoy the videos, the recipes, the tools, the tricks and all of the other contributions I plan on making to the blog. Thank you for being a loyal participant. I hope to never let you down during this journey. Let’s break bread and enjoy the fruits of our labor.
Cheers,
Jeff Reynolds
(This is me in Spain in 2003 and then again in 2015)
