HAUTEMEALZ KITCHEN, PORTLAND, ORE. (November 6, 2013) As Chef Terry Ramsey (left) dishes up savory, crunchy lettuce rolls, Chef Perry Perkins (right) discusses issues that affect global food supply. Not a fan of GMOs, he talks about his experience on a humanitarian trip to Nigeria in his early 20′s. “If I could have walked down the street and bought a bag of genetically modified soybeans to feed the people, I would have done it in a second.” Having the political will to make tough decisions about population controls, changing policies that create endemic dependence on foreign aid, and overcoming tribal differences and power struggles that affect the distribution of food are not easy discussion to have or simple solutions to find, according to Perkins.
(Photo by Kaley Perkins / Independent Journalist)
Sharp kitchen knives. That’s how local chefs Perry Perkins, Terry Ramsey, and Chris Renner of HauteMealz.com stand up against a government-sanctioned food industry that peddles processed, genetically-modified food to a frenetic, stressed out generation of Americans who lack the cooking skills to make their own eating choices.
Outreach has always been a priority for the trio, and with their partnership they are not only feeding fish to the hungry, but they are also teaching families to fish. Well, they may not literally be teaching families to fish, but they are showing families how to reconnect around the dining table by preparing and sharing fresh, hand-made meals.
Renner and Perkins have been cooking together for years: as kids in youth group; as young men volunteers in local food kitchens; as caterers for BBQ (that’s where they picked up Ramsey); and now as men with HauteMealz, a weekly menu-planning and food shopping service that streamlines the cooking process for busy families.
The Service
The goal of the program isn’t solely to make meals easier. The stakes are bigger for these three. Their vision is to see families reunited around the dinner table, eating real, whole food; supporting local farmers’ markets; and taking back control of their own health. “It’s getting to the point where we can’t afford to be sick anymore,” said Perkins.
HauteMealz menu plans cost just $5 per month. Chefs Perry and Terry agree that they didn’t want cost to be a reason why people couldn’t benefit from their healthy meal plans. The four different menus - classic menu, lighter-side menu (reduced calorie), diabetic menu, and a gluten free menu - come in a variety of serving sizes.
Each week’s meals are grouped around similar food to save preparation and shopping time and to eliminate food waste. By cooking the “large protein” of the week ahead of time, moms and dads turn meal preparation time into roughly a ten minutes assembly process. The men believe the advanced planning will save families far more than the cost of the program.
HAUTEMEALZ KITCHEN, PORTLAND, ORE. (November 6, 2013) While Chef Perry Perkins chops cilantro for his chicken sausage lettuce rolls, Chef Terry Ramsey cuts carrots. By squaring the sides of the carrots, Chef Terry creates a stable platform for chopping the root vegetable into planks and then matchsticks. As part of their lessons, the chefs explain these kitchen terms to their customers. Chef Perry adds, “We know when our customers have graduated from our service when they start arguing with us.” Both men chuckle as they keep chopping.
(Photo by Kaley Perkins / Independent Journalist)
Cooking Lessons:
Another benefit of the HauteMealz program are the professional kitchen technique tutorials from the chefs. In this video, Chef Perry demonstrates proper knife use.
How to Chop with a Kitchen Knife While Keeping Your Fingers Intact from Kaley Perkins on Vimeo.
More tutorials and resources can be found on Chef Perry’s YouTube channel.
