www.letleecook.comChef Lee Stevens
Personal Chef
(631)806-5990
letleecook@yahoo.com
Chef Lee holds a Suffolk County Food Handlers Permit and is Licensed and Insured
Chef Lee is a
Proud Member of APPCA
About Chef Lee Stevens
I am the father of three grown daughters and grandfather to four beautiful grandchildren. In addition to my cooking, I maintain a large organic garden with herbs, heirloom tomatoes, exotic peppers and just about anything that I can grow. I also have a large Bonsai collection that I work on in my spare time and am a devotee of Astanga Yoga.
After more than 30 years in the financial services industry, I took an early retirement to pursue a lifetime passion for food. After starting off more than 20 years ago as a typical home cook, I slowly began to expand and improve my skills. As I began to cook more, I realized that many chefs and recipes relied on butter or heavy cream for taste. I soon became more and more interested in cooking healthy fare. As I explored the world's cuisine, it became apparent that many cultures use more spices and seasonings to make a healthy appetizing dish. I began to cook with these techniques with great success.
It sometimes seems that much of the world is on a diet, usually the latest fad and often with poor results. I believe that an emphasis on fresh local ingredients, organic when practical and cooking with a minimum of butter and salt can produce slow, but long lasting effects on ones health and weight. I also try and avoid over-processed ingredients, refined flours, salts and sugars that are so prevalent in today's supermarket, restaurant and take-out foods.
I am a member of "SLOW FOOD USA", a non-profit member supported organization that seeks to educate people about how their food choices affect the rest of the world. Their motto is ‘Taste, tradition, and the honest pleasures of food"
There is a growing sense that the additives, preservatives, hormones and antibiotics that have been increasingly put into our food are possibly causing many of the health problems that we are experiencing today. The average household's hectic schedule has meant fewer and fewer home cooked meals and more and more fast food, bad food and processed food. My personal goal is to use locally grown products whenever possible and prepare healthy meals for your family. I shop at the local farmers markets and emphasize seasonal fruits and vegetables whenever available. My second choice is to buy the freshest produce that I can find and organic whenever available.
I am a firm believer in sustainable agriculture and supporting the local farmers and fishermen. Your seafood should come from local waters whenever possible to emphasise freshness. Little of what I cook for your family will have chemicals or preservatives in the food. I feel that this is a means of maintaining your family's health over the long term.
After all......we are what we eat!