Bonnie Goodman
Personal Chef Serving Orange County
Many families in Orange County are turning to Personal Chefs to prepare them delicious and healthy meals. If you are struggling to find time to cook or are looking for alternatives to the drive-thru window, Chef Bonnie can take the pressure off your shoulders, and provide delicious meals for you and your family in the convenience and comfort of your own home! It’s an affordable service that is catching on very fast across the country. Check out Chef Bonnie's blog for the latest news and cooking tips!
Healthy Homestyle
The food we eat is such a personal extension of who we are. With such busy schedules, maintaining a well balanced diet is incredibly difficult. Chef Bonnie centers her cooking style around "healthy homestyle" meals that the whole family can enjoy. She relies on fresh ingredients, smart substitutions, and proper cooking techniques to create healthier versions of traditional dishes and favorite comfort foods.Gluten Free
Living a life with allergies doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice your favorite foods. By understanding how to use gluten free flours (sorghum, brown rice, tapioca, almond...), non-dairy milks (almond, soy, coconut and rice), nutritional yeast, cashew cream and other GF ingredients, Bonnie can create zero-gluten and non-dairy versions of old standards like pizza, crispy oven baked chicken, mac & cheese, your favorite baked goods and more.Vegan
Many Orange County families are choosing to eliminate meat AND dairy from their diet for nutritional and environmental benefits. As dietary vegans themselves, Bonnie and her husband Greg have both seen first hand the health benefits including double digit weight loss as well as a 50+ point drop in their cholesterol levels! Let Bonnie help with the planning, shopping and preparing of your vegan dishes.How it Works
Getting Started
Contact us and we will set up an appointment to meet with you at your home. As your personal chef, I want to understand what you like to eat, your dietary goals, whether you have any medical situations that need to be addressed, whether you have any allergies or food sensitivities, or whether there are certain foods you just don’t like. Are you gluten free, soy free, dairy free or vegan? I can help you. All you need to do is tell me what you need. It's that simple. Armed with this information, I will customize menus for you that reflect these guidelines and assist you in selecting an initial set of entrees for your first cooking date.
Cooking Day
On your cooking day, Bonnie gets an early start shopping for the freshest ingredients at affordable prices. Once she has made her customary stops to the local grocers and/or butchers, she then heads over to your home to begin cooking your meals. Bonnie arrives with her mobile kitchen in tow including all her own cutlery and cookware. All you need to provide is adequate counter space, a working stove and oven, and a place to store the finished meals. Everything is prepared fresh to your specifications in the safety of your own home.
Dinner Time
When you arrive home, you will be greeted with the aroma of your freshly prepared meals. You will also find the kitchen exactly as you left it. As you open the refrigerator you will see the meals organized into individual or family style servings. Each container will be labeled with specific heating and serving instructions tailored to your liking (e.g. oven, microwave, plating suggestions).
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you cook in my kitchen?
Yes, we do prepare your meals in the safety of your own kitchen. On our agreed upon cooking date we bring the fresh ingredients for your meals along with our own pots, pans and utensils, and prepare your entrees on site. At the end of the day we leave your kitchen clean, and full of the aroma of good home cooking!
How long will you be here?
I’ll be cooking several different entrees and side dishes from scratch, so it will take several hours. I cannot say exactly how many hours, however I am most willing to work with your schedule or situation, and we can make arrangements in advance so that my cooking date fits into your schedule compatibly.
I’ll be home that day. Is it okay if I watch - or help?
This can be a delicate situation - you don’t want to seem rude, but you want to convey that this is your business, you are the professional they hired to do a job, and that being under someone’s watchful eye or being distracted by conversation or inquiries can not only slow the process, but it can also distract you and cause burns, cuts, and forgotten ingredients . They are welcome to come in and visit for say 15 minutes, but after that you need to be “in command” in the kitchen in order to complete the job you’ve been hired to do.
Do I heat the food?
Yes. Any entrees that have been stored for you in your freezer should be defrosted overnight in your refrigerator, and heated, to be enjoyed at the peak of their flavor. We will be happy to leave you easy to follow heating instructions for each entree.
How much freezer space do you need?
It depends on the number of meals you request, and the sizes of the containers, but it does generally require a considerable amount of freezer space. Why don’t we take a look at your freezer to see just how much room you have available...Efficient storage is one of the reasons we prefer to select the appropriate size, uniform storage containers for our clients.
Can you use my containers?
Once again, uniform size containers take less storage space in your freezer, and we will bring the appropriate containers for the entrees we are preparing each cooking date. If you will save the containers for us that held the entrees you have already enjoyed, we will take those back with us each cooking date, so we will actually be rotating containers in and out of your kitchen regularly.
What type side dishes do you prepare?
I prepare side dishes that complete the entree you have selected - For instance, if you have ordered a beautiful savory stew entree, I will prepare a rice or Polenta side dish to be enjoyed with the stew. I always allow my clients to select and prepare their own green vegetables since people have such strong preferences in that area.
What if I want you to prepare additional side dishes as well?
I’d be happy to provide that service for you, however, it will entail an additional fee.
The cost seems to be about what I would pay for an entree in a restaurant - why is that?
Although our fees are expressed in a per entree or per serving fee, they actually represent all of the components that make up a professional personal chef service. For example, the assessment process that we complete to determine what you like to eat, and how you like to eat, and whether or not you have allergies, sensitivities or medically specific requirements we will take into account when preparing your entrees is one of the features - that, along with customizing our recipes to reflect your wants and requests, submitting meal selections for your approval, the grocery shopping, coming to your home to prepare your entrees in the safety of your own kitchen, plus packaging, labeling and storing your entrees are more features. If you have a Personal Chef Service, you can heat a beautiful entree that has been prepared specifically for your palate and requirements, and eat it in the comfort of your own home.
Do I pay you ahead of each cooking date?
Yes, that is customary to pay for the service in advance of your cooking date. If you like you may leave me a check for the upcoming cooking date on the day I am cooking.
How long will the food last us?
Depending on how many entrees you order, and how many evenings you eat at home we can determine approximately how long your meals will last. If you travel for business, or entertain in restaurants during the week, or just enjoy eating out on occasion the meals will take you further than if you eat in each night.
Menu Highlights
Take a look at a sample selection of Chef Bonnie's seasonal menu...
Meat
- Mint Rubbed Oven Roasted Lamb Chops
- Pan Seared Pork Chops
- Oven Roasted Baby Back Ribs
- Tender Beef and Vegetable Stew
- Herb Garlic Crusted Pork Tenderloin
- Tender Pulled Pork
- Sunday Pot Roast
- Roasted Tenderloin of Beef
- Beef and Vegetable Stir Fry
- Char Shiu (Chinese BBQ Pork)
- Beef Fajita Tacos
Chicken
- Herb Garlic Roasted Chicken
- Chicken Pot Pie
- 5-Spice Chicken Lettuce Cups
- Chicken Piccata w/Mushrooms & Capers
- Panko Crusted Oven Baked Chicken
- Teriyaki Chicken w/ Vegetables
- Tandoori Chicken
- Chicken & Vegetable Stir Fry
- Chicken Enchiladas
- Garlic Clove Chicken
- Oven Roasted Turkey Breasts
Seafood
- Oven Roasted Halibut w/ Cilantro Lime Sauce
- Shrimp Piri Piri
- Pan Seared Salmon w/ Pea Pesto Puree
- Seared Scallop Salad
- Baked Salmon w/Mango Salsa
- Panko Crusted Halibut Fish Cakes
- Ginger Soy Lime Glazed Shrimp
- Blackened Fish Tacos
- Shrimp Spring Rolls w/ Peanut Dipping Sauce
Pasta & Pizza
- Pick-Your-Topping Pizza
- Homemade Pizza Sauce
- Focaccia Bread
- Cheesy Breadsticks
- Creamy Mac & Cheese
- Classic Spaghetti w/Meatballs
- Spinach & Basil Pesto Fusilli
- Low Fat Fettuccini Alfredo
- Fresh Tomato & Basil Spaghettini
- Sweet Turkey Sausage Lasagna
- Macaroni Beef
- Fresh Veggie Medley Pasta
Soups & Salads
- Confetti Black Bean Soup
- Chicken Chunky Vegetable Soup
- Miso Soup w/Tofu, Potatoes & Wakame
- Lentil Vegetable Soup
- Cauliflower Soup
- Hearty Turkey Chili & Beans
- Butternut Squash Soup
- Miso Kale Salad with Roasted Tofu
- Colorful Chopped Salad
- Mediterranean Orzo Salad
- Classic Caesar Salad
- Chinese Chicken Nappa Salad
- Lemon Quinoa Salad
- Edamame Potato Salad
Sides
- Zucchini Cakes
- Kale Chips
- Garlic Mashed Potatoes with Cauliflower Puree
- Citrus Green Beans
- Roasted Fingerling Potatoes
- Assorted Grilled Vegetables
- Herbed Rice Pilaf
- Crispy Potato Latkes
- Homemade Cranberry Sauce
- Oven Baked Wedge Fries
- Chana Saag
- Asian Fried Rice
- Whole Wheat Dinner Rolls
Gluten Free
Dairy Free
Vegan
- Pizza! :)
- Healthy Chicken Nuggets
- Chicken Rice Noodle Soup
- Panko Onion Rings
- Crispy Oven Baked Chicken
- Soba Noodle Salad w/Ponzu Dressing
- Fusilli Meatball Marinara
- Chicken and Vegetable Noodle Stir Fry
- Veggie Spring Rolls with Peanut Dipping Sauce
- Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Super Moist Chocolate Cake
- Spiced Pumpkin Bread
- Cashew Mac & Cheese
- Swedish Meatballs
- Fettuccini Alfredo
- Chicken Pot Pie w/Biscuit Topping
- Tomato Basil Cream Fusilli
- CornBread Honey Muffins
- Garlic Mashed Potatoes w/Cauliflower Puree
- Edamame Potato Salad
- Spinach Artichoke Dip
- Chocolate Pudding
- Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Breakfast Almond Cookie
- Veggie Burger Sliders
- Vegetable Potstickers w/ Soy Dipping Sauce
- Roasted Veggie Whole Wheat Wraps
- Tomato Herbed Pearl Couscous
- Buckwheat Tabbouleh
- Sushi Veggie Inside-Out Rolls
- Tokyo Style Sweet Vegetable Curry
- Quinoa w/ Roasted Vegetables
- Spinach Basil Pesto Fusilli
- Potato Latkes
- Eggless Brown Fried Rice
- Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Peanut Butter Cookies
- Honey Peanut Butter Crispy Rice Squares
Pricing
We've listed our most popular meal plans for a family of four. Contact us and we can customize a plan for your family size, desired number of meals per week, and specialized nutritional needs/dietary goals.
3 entrees and 3 sides (4 servings each): $345 plus groceries
Additional Entrees (4 servings each): $25
Additional Sides (4 servings each): $25
About Bonnie
Bonnie's two loves in life are her family and cooking. When she's not cooking, Bonnie enjoys practicing Taichi and walking her two dogs.
After graduating from UCLA, Bonnie joined the LPGA as a Golf Club Professional but eventually chose to forego her career when she and her husband, Greg, started their family. For the past 20 years, Bonnie has been at home with her kids, wearing many different hats along the way. What started out as being a mild interest in cooking eventually became Bonnie's new passion.
I've been there. Running from one event to another, it's so easy to give into fast food. I want to provide a healthy and affordable alternative.
Bonnie now centers her cooking style around "healthy homestyle" meals that the whole family can enjoy. She relies on fresh ingredients, smart substitutions, and proper cooking techniques to create healthier versions of traditional dishes and favorite comfort foods.
Bonnie continues to always explore new approaches in cooking by completing advanced certification courses at Laguna Culinary Arts in Laguna Beach, CA. She's a member of the American Personal Chef Association and is also a Cerftified Food Safety Manager by the National Registry of Food Safety Professionals.No more last minute drive-thru’s! Instead we get to sit down and have a true family dinner.
After a busy day, I love coming home to the smell of Bonnie’s cooking.
My Dad lives alone and leads a very active lifestyle. He doesn't like to spend time in the kitchen. Now each week he looks forward to Bonnie's great dishes.
