Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
“Sophie Steel had a passion for cooking and helped me make sushi, decorate fruit tarts
and serve the food.” Sophie's participation in the kitchen enriched the experience so much
for her family that they took plenty of photos to share back home.
“When you have people here on vacation and hiring a chef, they come to have a great
time,” says Desiree. Her upbringing as a nomad makes her ideally equipped for meeting
guests from all over the world and putting them at ease. She often finds a connection to
wherever they're from.
“Youhavepeoplesharingwonderfulexperiencesandmemories;you'repartofthebest
days of their lives. We're all here for similar reasons; we all want to get out of — for lack
of a better word — the rat-race up north. We all enjoy the scenery, the beautiful people, and
the exotic animals.” She finds it adds wonderful variety to her days to engage with people
from different places and walks of life.
Desiree smiles, “I speak three-and-a-half languages; English, French, Spanish and Vi-
etnamese. I don't get to practice Vietnamese as much as I'd like. Not only do the inter-
national guests she caters to speak various languages but they often have different dietary
needs such as dairy-free, gluten-free, or vegetarian. “All my work days are unique. I don't
have a boring, monotonous job.”
Pura Vida Social Club bass player Letty Anderson says, “My favorite Desiree story:
She had a houseful of Vietnamese clients who spoke to her in one language (can't remem-
ber if it was French or English) and to each other in Vietnamese until Desiree said to them
in Vietnamese, 'You should know I speak this language too, in case you want to keep
something private.'”
Peter Vineberg, owner of Pete's Place says, “My guests love Desiree not just because
of her delicious food, but because of her fantastic personality. The ability to speak at least
four languages does not hurt, nor the fact that she has been here for over twenty years and
is very informative!”
Retiree Wavy Dave says, “Desi and Juan invited me and a friend to their home for sup-
per, it as the most wonderful food from all over the world, at one table. A most memorable
evening.”
BoringandordinaryaretwowordsthatareneverusedtodescribeDesireeorheramaz-
ing food. From local dinner parties to specially catered events such as destination wed-
dings, to the steady work of being a chef-for-hire, she maintains an innovative and excit-
ing approach to her work. Being voted Best Personal Chef is the cherry on the chocolate
mousse for her. “It's great! It's so validating, I'm so proud. Thank you!” she says. As for
the locals who voted for her, you can almost see her starting to plan the celebratory menu
as she laughs, “I owe you all a good yummy dinner!” It's a safe bet no one will be disap-
pointed as Desiree contemplates her next round of culinary magic.
Desiree's In House Chef Services
