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It was such an honor to be invited to interview Tyler Florence, author and celebrity chef of Food Network's Food 911, How to Boil Water, and Tyler's Ultimate.
As a working parent, concerned with feeding my family well, it was only
natural for me to ask Tyler about how a busy man like himself is able
to spend time with his family in the kitchen.
"Family meals are a top priority," he says, and he does whatever he
can to be there to eat with his wife and three children. He praised
his wife Tolan's cooking and says that they both work hard to prepare
delicious meals for their family to enjoy.
My friends and I have always been curious about the types of meals
that professional chefs prepare in their own homes. I asked him if he
cooks differently than the average family. "I don't think that chefs
necessarily try for 'fancy' as much as they work for 'delicious,'" he
says. But he does acknowledge that "an average meal for us is never
average. We've got a 6 month old, a 20 month old, a 12 year old, and
of course ourselves, so we've got a couple different stages of flavor
and texture going on. For ourselves, we try to put together something
fresh and seasonal, but not too over the top. We keep it simple but
delicious."
As a children's cooking teacher, I am often curious how other people
involve their children in the kitchen. When I asked him if his
children help with meal preparations, he laughed and said, "If you
count letting them smear roasted apple puree all over the place, yes!"
His 12 year old, Miles, has more self control, of course, and loves to
help his father prepare meals and home made gifts in the kitchen.
Tyler pays particular attention to the foods that his children enjoy so
that he can prepare meals that will suit them. "The smiles on their
faces let me know what they like and what they don't" he says.
My daughter, a self-proclaimed picky eater, had a burning question
to ask Tyler: "If your kids don't like what you made for dinner, do you
say, "Too bad, this is what is for dinner." Or do you make them
something else?" He agrees that this question "is a tough one! But
in general, I have thought about their tastes beforehand, so that I
hope that it doesn't come up. If I know what I have prepared is good
for them and something they generally like, I don't have a problem
saying "no" to making something else."
For families like mine, where people have a variety of food
preferences, he encourages meals to begin with a "somewhat neutral base
and then make additions from there. Take tacos - you can always add
the heat. But the best way to satisfy the whole gang is just to do a
little bit of extra research in advance and find a dish that satisfies
everyone. Branch out from your "go-to" dishes and I'll bet you can
find something that will work."
If you have a favorite dish that your family enjoys, be sure to take a look at Tyler's contest, Macy's Keeps America Cooking,
which ends on April 13. The contest calls for viewers to record and
upload their own videos showing how to prepare some of their favorite
recipes. Prizes include a trip for two to San Francisco to cook with
Tyler, a shipping spree with Tyler for new kitchen products, and gift
certificates from Macy's. For more information about the contest and to
view a sample video entry, please visit the What's Cooking Blog and Macy's Keeps America Cooking.
