beauty mark spa x bydominicjames
with our love for healthy and glowing skin and their love for delicious food, this collaboration was a piece of cake … literally. this past week, i had the opportunity to cook for the beauty mark spa team for their long awaited holiday retreat in the Poconos. for those of you who haven’t heard of the fabulous beauty mark spa & bridal studio, they’re located in east islip, new york. winning best of weddings by the knot since 2019 - susan and her amazing team will treat you like family from the minute you walk in the store. offering treatments from botox to Microdermabrasion, the options are endless. okay now back to how it all got started …
welcome to the poconos
typical for me, my week had already been hectic enough between work and dog sitting for a friend (shout out to miss aubrey). but when sue asks you to cater her holiday party in the poconos, you cater! i started my morning off with a BECSPK (BACON EGG CHEESE SALT PEPPER KETCHUP) and hit the road. thankfully leaving after the nyc rush hour traffic i got into town in less than three hours. first stop … giant. for those of you who aren’t familiar, giant is the stop and shop of the poconos. going to a store like this helps when trying to find the right ingredients. i didn’t have time to research specific stores in town and or waste time, so going to a generic store like giant i know i’d be able to find the right ingredients needed to make the dinner perfect without stressing.
the menu
to start
bruschetta crostini
charcuterie board
the entree
rigatoni bolognese
chicken cutlets
pesto chickpea salad
italian bread
time to cook
once getting the green light from susan to tour the air bnb since i had the house to myself while they were in town, it was time to cook! i arrived at the home closer to 3:00 and dinner was on the table by 7:00 as requested. thankfully there was no desire for a dessert, so i got to focus on my favorite part of being a private chef … the presentation. the minute i unpacked the groceries i cleared off the dining room table and began setting for dinner. luckily this air bnb provided the perfect amount of plates, bowls, silverware etc. i typically find that being the biggest issue when booking any air bnb. why say the home sleeps 8 when there’s only 4 plates?
personally i find so much joy and relaxation when setting a table, especially for a larger party when you can really fill the empty spaces with specialty cocktails and fresh flowers. it also gives major bonus points when the client comes in to see a beautifully set table ready for a feast. for this event i also had menus printed and our new business cards for each place setting. you never know who’s going to be seated at the dinner table and where that next gig will come from!
honestly, the only negative part of the home was the stove being electric. many of you cooks will understand what i mean by that. however, when you’re a private chef this is one of the many obstacles you have to face. the uncertainty each client and home will bring leads to you having to adapt quickly. i began prepping the bolognese sauce first giving it time to cook and the flavors to really soak in. i forgot pennsylvania sells quality wine in their food stores so i was able to make one stop before heading to the house instead of running around. for a bolognese sauce i typically like to use a red blend. nothing too flavorful but enough to do the job! while the sauce simmered, i began on the mise en place for the salad and charcuterie board. i wanted to hold off till it was closer to dinner time to prepare the bruschetta and plating so the bread wouldn’t go from perfectly toasted to mushy and soggy. baby food wasn’t on tonights’ menu. around 5:00pm i began egging and breading my chicken cutlets and practically frying to order so they were fresh and crispy! i almost forgot to mention, the menu was 99% gluten free friendly. i know what you’re thinking … even the chicken cutlets? yes! one of the guests was gluten free and personally i find if you get the right gluten free bread crumb you’ll never know the difference (which they didn’t!). it also helps myself not having to worry which dish is or isn’t gluten free. even the crackers for the charcuterie board were! i love making a client feel special even if it was one out of 12 woman.
fin
needless to say, once it was time for dinner susan gave a beautiful toast to her team and thanked me for such a wonderful dinner. the table was silent once they dug in - probably the best compliment any chef can get. no time to talk because you’re too busy stuffing your face! by 8:00pm i cleaned up and said goodbye to the amazing woman i got to meet and headed back to miss aubrey for one last night of dog sitting! i can’t thank susan and the beauty mark team enough for such an amazing dinner party!
