In the News

Local chefs cooking at SW Senior Lifestyle Expo

The Deming Headlight

03/21/2013

LAS CRUCES, N.M. - Need some new ideas for delicious and healthy foods? Visit the Southwest Senior Lifestyle Expo, Friday and Saturday for a variety of cooking demonstrations. The expo will be held at the Las Cruces Convention Center, 680 E. University.

The Doña Ana County Cooperative Extension will present cooking demonstrations Friday and Saturday at noon by Dietetic Intern Kylie Johnson. She will show how to make two easy and delicious diabetes-friendly recipes.

Presenting "Mediterranean Cooking With New Mexico Twist" will be Chef Alfredo Vargas of de la Vega's Pecan Grill. His demonstrations will be presented at 2 p.m. today and Saturday.

Originally from El Paso, Chef Alfredo is a graduate of Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts, in Las Vegas, Nevada, and has worked in several upscale Vegas restaurants.

Saturday at 1 p.m., Chef Lynn Linde, who owns and operates Big Red Chef, LLC Personal Chef Service, will cook up a "Heart Healthy One Skillet Wonder." A graduate of the United States Personal Chef Institute (now the Culinary Business Academy), Chef Lynn is a Certified Personal Chef (CPC), a designation which is her industry's highest mark of excellence.

As a personal chef, she provides custom-prepared meals fulfilling the needs of busy, health-conscious individuals and families, home medical recovery patients and those with special dietary needs. She also teaches hands-on cooking classes and offers nutritional coaching to those wishing to eat a healthier diet.

More information on presentations and demonstrations at the Southwest Senior Lifestyle Expo is online at www.SouthwestSeniorExpo.com or at www.Facebook.com/SouthwestSeniorLC. There is a suggested $3 donation at the expo to benefit the Community of Hope's Homeless Veterans Program.

“Small Changes...Big Results”

(Healthy Cooking Class Series)

Tuesday January 5th 2010
6pm to 8:30pm Doors open at 5pm
Cost: $20.00

The 10 Principles of Healthy Cooking. 
The 1st class in our January Healthy Cooking Series will cover the “10 Principles of Healthy Cooking.” Chef Lynn Linde will cover beneficial choices in cooking oils, dairy products and whole grains as well as ways to boost the flavor of your meals so you won’t feel deprived. She will also prepare several, lighter versions of your favorite winter comfort foods. By making small changes...you will start seeing big results.

Tuesday January 12th 2010
6pm to 8:30pm Doors open at 5pm
Cost: $20.00

Go Fish!
Lately you can’t go a day without hearing or reading about the benefits of Essential Fatty Acids a.k.a. “the good fats”, especially those found in cold water fish.  It’s difficult, at best, to find fresh fish in land-locked Las Cruces, so Chef Lynn will cover what to look for and when & where to buy your “desert fish.”  She will demonstrate several foolproof preparations for perfect Salmon and Tuna rich with Omega-3 fatty acids. Also covered will be ways to incorporate more EFA-rich nuts and seeds into your everyday meals. 

Tuesday January 19th 2010
6pm to 8:30pm Doors open at 5pm
Cost: $20.00

Life’s Short...Eat Dessert First.
Just because you’ve made the decision to eat healthier and shed a few pounds, doesn't mean you have to deprive yourself of dessert.  Chef Lynn will demonstrate how to prepare several fabulous desserts that are actually good for you. From a luxurious dark chocolate dessert loaded with antioxidant Flavonoids, to succulent fruit poached in red wine that’s rich with Vitamin C AND Resveratrol, to a fabulous heart-healthy nut dessert, if you have a sweet tooth this class will surely satisfy.

All classes include samples of the dishes prepared as well as copies of those recipes.
Sign up for all 3 classes for only $45.00!

For more info contact:Las Cruces Event Center, 522 E Idaho, Las Cruces NM 88005, (575) 680-6515

http://lascruceseventcenter.com/lynnlinde.php

What’s Art?

2nd Annual Arts & Culture Convention of Southern New Mexico

October 2 & 3, 2009

Alma d’Arte Charter High School

Culinary Arts Workshop: Can Food be Considered Serious Art?

This inspirational workshop for artists and cooks alike will touch on traditional culinary arts as well as using food as a medium to create art, artful food presentation and molecular gastronomy to name a few. There will be hands-on experience for a few budding “Picassos of produce” who enjoy playing with their food.

Lynn Linde is a Certified Personal Chef. She has been a Personal Chef, Caterer and Cooking Class Instructor in Las Cruces since 2002. Chef Lynn is also a fiber artist and has participated in juried fine craft shows for over 20 years.

Personal Chef receives CPC designation

The Las Cruces Bulletin

Friday, February 27, 2009

People on the Move

Lynn Linde, chef/owner of Big Red Chef LLC - Personal Chef Service, has achieved the designation of Certified Personal Chef (CPC). Linde has been a personal chef, caterer and cooking instructor in the Las Cruces area since 2002. She is a graduate of the U.S. Personal Chef Institute in Phoenix and a premier member of the United States Personal Chef Association headquartered in Rio Rancho, N.M. The designation of CPC is the industry’s highest mark of excellence, indicating a nationally recognized endorsement of demonstrated expertise, and the only certification for personal chefs listed in the federal government’s employee certification database.

Spring cooking classes offered at Las Cosas

The Las Cruces Bulletin

Friday, March 23, 2007

Classes combine delicious flavors with learning culinary skills

With the warmer temperatures, many around the county are firing up their grills and cooking and entertaining outdoors. At Las Cosas Cooking School in Mesilla, the spring lineup of cooking classes is designed to inspire the inner chef in every one, while teaching cooking skills and introducing new cuisines and kitchen equipment.

“Our motto is “We cook for fun,” said Las Cosas Cooking School Director Chef John Vollertsen.”

Most classes will be led by Chef Lynn Linde, the owner of Big Red Chef LLC, a personal chef service. Linde has been a personal chef, caterer and private in-home cooking instructor in Las Cruces since 2002. She is a member of the United States Personal Chef Association and a graduate of the former United States Personal Institute in Phoenix, Ariz.

A native of Minnesota, Linde has also taught baking and pastry classes in Minneapolis and has won numerous awards and baking competitions. The Las Cosas Cooking School in Mesilla is modeled after the company’s successful 9-year old Santa Fe school.

Cooking Classes fill up quickly, so pre-registration is required by calling 541-9735.

The spring schedule is:

Perfect Pastry: Sunday, March 25, from noon to 3 p.m. In this class, Linde will teach baking secrets of the perfect pastry crust. Attendees will learn traditional and food-processor methods for both sweet and savory crusts. On the menu will be latice-topped apple pie, mocha fudge-pecan pie, fresh strawberry tart, classic quiche lorraine and creamy chicken pot pie with dill crust. This is a hands-on class. Cost is $60.

New Mexico Soups and Stews: Friday, March 30, from 6 to 9 p.m. Linde will celebrate New Mexico’s famous hearty, meal-in-a-bowl soups and stews that are rich in flavor and use local ingredients, including chiles. Participants will prepare several favorites from light summer soups to rib-sticking stews for cooler nights. The menu includes vermicelli soup with little meatballs, potato-poblano soup, shrimp and tomatillo posolé, pork and green chile stew, and Michoacan beef. This is a hands-on class. Cost is $60.

Great Vegetarian Convertibles: Sunday, April 15, from noon to 3 p.m. This class will appeal to meat-lovers and those wishing to follow a vegetarian lifestyle. The class will consist of a repertoire of tasty, healthy vegetarian recipes that with a little tweaking can appease carnivores as well. Linde will teach Thai noodle salad, hearty French onion soup with cheese toasts, Asian stuffed zucchini with potatoes and peas, goat cheese enchiladas with black bean sauce. This is a hands-on class. Cost is $60.

Spring Vegetable Harvest: Wednesday, April 18, from 4 to 7 p.m. This class will showcase the bountiful crop of spring vegetables including cabbage and onions from local growers and asparagus from Mexico that are harvested at their peak. Linde will help participants learn to take advantage of the locale’s good fortune while making roasted cabbage salad with bacon and blue cheese vinaigrette, stuffed sweet onions with goat cheese and sun-dried tomatoes, asparagus flan, cabbage roulades with lamb in lemon sauce, and gruyere & asparagus and caramelized onion panini. The class is hands-on. Cost is $60.

Tasty Tapas Party: Monday, April 23 from 4 to 7 p.m. This class will focus on Spain’s answer to the cocktail hour appetizer, tapas which are perfect for entertaining,  yet hearty enough to comprise a full meal. Linde and participants will prepare several “ little tastes of Spain” including roasted red bell pepper salad with olives and capers, tortilla Española, shrimp in saffron sauce, smokey Spanish almonds, spicy lamb meatballs in red wine-tomato sauce and naranjas borrachas - the famous drunken oranges. This is a hands-on class. Cost is $60.

Valentine’s in vogue

Las Cruces Sun-News

The Pulse, February 8, 2007

Cook for your date:

“The Way to Your Lovers Heart” Valentine’s Day Celebration will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Wednesday at Las Cosas Cooking School, 1740 Calle de Mercado. Chef Lynn Linde teaches how to whip up several romance-inspired classics. $60. Info: 541-9735

Spectacular Holiday Spreads are Easier Than You Think

By S. Derrickson Moore

SUN-NEWS REPORTER

SUN LIFE, Nov 27, 2005

Lynn Linde has advice to make holiday entertaining merrier for hosts and hostesses: keep it simple and be prepared.

"We have a large family and we invite all the neighbors, so we've had 100 or 150 people for our St. Patrick's Day parties. Everything was a lot of fun," said Donna Hourigan of Las Cruces, who has fond memories of Linde's Sirloin Tips in Guinness and other creative menu items.

Linde's "show must go on" skills impressed client Bea Klein of Las Cruces. "We had one of those 10-minute Las Cruces rains when she was catering a party for me. I was very surprised but she kept grilling in the rain. She's very organized and skilled," Klein said.

Linde said she's been creating gourmet food all of her life. "I was making chicken Kiev when I was 12 years old. About three years ago, I decided it was time for a mid-life career change," she said.

Big Red Chef was born. This week, she was making plans for a 25th anniversary party with an African theme and discussing ideas that ranged from holiday fiestas to a recent Mediterranean barbecue for 100.

Her Las Cruces clients tend to be creative, she said, "and I love that. Give me an idea and I'll research it. When you're looking for a caterer, most people want someone who is willing to work with them and share ideas. If you don't have a theme in mind, we'll brainstorm and come up with something."

Professional caterers are happy to work within a budget, she said. "Figure out how much you want to spend and how many people you're entertaining."

Whether you are hiring a caterer or doing it yourself, the same principles apply in creating great holiday gatherings, she said. "Choose a couple of really knock-out dishes, rather than trying to load the table," she suggests.

And speaking of that table, don't feel obligated to go out and buy whole new matched sets of dishes, glasses and flatware. "I've always loved mixing things, and it's very in now. If you have only four really nice goblets and are planning a dinner for eight, don't go out and buy all new stuff. Just go out and buy four goblets and stagger them at place settings."

If you are investing in new items, her suggestion is to "keep your table service simple: sterling silver or stainless steel flatware and white dishes. Food looks best on these."

As a caterer, she stressed that she makes everything from scratch and even grows her own herbs. For busy hostesses who are heading to the supermarket "or heading to Sam's Club and getting things ready-made," she suggests adding your own touch with homemade sauces or garnishes and putting in a little extra time on presentation.

Again, there's no need for expensive floral arrangements or elaborate holiday displays. "Fruit is always nice. If you want something special, glaze the fruit with an egg wash and roll it in sugar. Get a house plant or a poinsettia plant and surround it with fruit. Or stick cloves in oranges and lemons and put them in a nice Talavera bowl. Look around the house and use what you have. Use different heights of candles and different candlesticks. There's big fun in things that don't match."

Artistic considerations are important, too, she feels. "That's not surprising, since I'm a three-dimentional artist. But food is art. You eat with your eyes." said Linde, whose giant flower sculptures were featured at this month's Renaissance Craft Faire.

"I'm into extreme garnishes," quipped Linde , who has established a reputation for her elaborately carved fruits and vegetables, but she said anyone can get creative with garnishes. "I'm always looking for old books on garnishing at Coas Bookstore. If you're interested, there are some wonderful Web sites with ideas.

Her eclectic background includes a 12-year career in banking. She's also an artist whose work has been featured at art shows throughout the Southwest. Drama is another interest. She majored in theater at the University of Wisconsin and was Momma Rose in a recent Las Cruces Community Theater production of "Gypsy."

She would like to combine several of her talents in another goal she has in mind. "I'd like to direct dinner theater," she said.

But the queen of dramatic and artistic entertaining sticks to her simple, elegant philosophy. Make your guests and yourself comfortable and have fun.

"I like to entertain in the kitchen. It's the heart of the home and people always gravitate there, anyway. And use common sense. I believe the Atkins and South Beach diet craze is over, so don't feel you have to do low-carb, however, people are more health conscious. If you're serving six appetizers, don't deep fry three or four of them. Fruits and vegetables are nice. A lot more people are becoming vegetarian, so be sure to have at least one or two items that are meatless."

Party tips

* Keep it simple: choose a few great dishes; don't feel you have to load the table

* Include fruits and vegetables and options for vegetarians and health-conscious guests

* Plan ahead: at least three weeks if you're hiring a caterer

* Make a budget and stick to it

* Mix dishes and glassware for an interesting table; don't feel everything has to match

* Use what you have: interesting bowls and candles of varying heights

* Fruit makes a great centerpiece or display. For extra sparkle, brush an egg glaze on fruit and dip in sugar.  Ornament lemons and oranges with cloves. Surround poinsettias or other plants with colorful fruit

Gougeres

Servings: 10

1 cup water

8 tablespoons unsalted butter, (1 stick) cut into tablespoons

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup flour

4 large eggs, (+1 more, if needed)

1 1/2 cups Gruyere cheese, finely grated

2 tablespoons Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, finely grated, optional

1/4 teaspoons nutmeg, freshly grated

1/4 teaspoons pepper, freshly ground

Special Equipment:

Pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch plain tip

Directions:

Put racks in the upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat to 375 degrees. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or lightly butter them.

Combine water, butter and salt in a heavy 3-quart saucepan and bring to a full boil over high heat, stirring until butter is melted. Reduce heat to medium; add flour all at once, and cook, stirring vigorously with a wooden spoon, until mixture pulls away from sides of pan; about 30 seconds. Continue to cook and stir to remove excess moisture for about 1 1/2 minutes. Remove from heat and cool slightly, about 3 minutes.

Add 4 eggs, one at a time, beating well with wooden spoon after each addition. Batter will appear to separate, but will become smooth again once beaten. Mixture should be glossy and just stiff enough to hold soft peaks and fall from the spoon. It it is too stiff, beat remaining egg in a small bowl and add to batter 1 teaspoon at a time, beating and then testing batter after each addition until it reaches desired consistency. Stir in cheese, nutmeg and pepper.

Fill the pastry bag with batter and pipe about 30 1-inch in diameter mounds, 2 inches apart onto each sheet. Wet index finger with water and lightly press down tip, if needed.

Bake for about 30 minutes, switching position of sheets halfway through baking, or until puffed and golden and crispy; Serve warm.

Makes about 56 1-inch puffs

Chef’s Note: If you spoon the batter onto the baking sheets rather than piping it, the active time will be about 15 minutes longer. It is helpful to use a regular teaspoon to scoop the batter out of the measuring tablespoon.

Optional filling:

8-ounce container whipped cream cheese, at room temperature

1 golden delicious apple, peeled, cored and coarse grated mixed with juice of half a lemon, then squeezed dry

2 ounces toasted nuts, chopped fine

1 tablespoon sherry or port wine, or to taste

Note: Gruyere Cheese has a pronounced nutty flavor and is an integral part of these savory French Cream Puffs, (also known as Pate a Choux, "paht-ah-SHOO") as is freshly grated nutmeg.

For more information on Linde, call 571-0577, e-mail bigredchef-pcs@centurylink.net or visit online at www.bigredchef.com

S.Derrickson Moore can be reached at dmoore@lcsun-news.com

Local chef attends convention

Las Cruces Sun-News

Business Headlines

Monday, Aug 30, 2004

Chef Lynn Linde of Big Red Chef, Personal Chef Services attended the United States Personal Chef

Association (USPCA) Regional Convention earlier this month in Tucson.

Seminars attended by Linde included one on the preparation of special diets, in particular low-calorie, weight-loss, diabetic and carb-resticted menus.

A Personal Chef in the Freezer

The Las Cruces Bulletin

Friday, June 18, 2004

by Todd G. Dickson

If you want a gourmet meal at home, but, for whatever reason, and can’t do it yourself, maybe Lynn Linde of Big Red Chef can help. When she began offering her personal chef service to Las Cruces, a little over a year ago, Linde admits it was a tough sell. “People here had no idea what a personal chef service was,” she said.

A personal chef is a trained chef who comes into a client’s home kitchen and cooks up restaurant-quality meals, usually frozen, to be warmed up and eaten later.

The service wasn’t unusual in Phoenix, where Linde went to cooking school to learn how to become a personal chef. But in Las Cruces, Linde said hiring a chef to come into a person’s home and kitchen was a new idea. So new that her first clients were a California couple who saw her posting on the U.S. Personal Chef Association website and hired her as a gift to their children in Las Cruces.

After making the rounds to different community groups, her networking paid off, Linde said. Once she began getting clients - mostly one-time services, her business “snow-balled” by word of mouth.

Although she had been a fiber artist prior, Linde said when she learned of the personal chef profession in a cuisine magazine, “I knew this is what I wanted to do.”

Being a personal chef is not as easy as it might seem a first blush. Linde said her training covered the science of food preparation and handling as much as the art of cooking fine meals. That’s because what a personal chef does for most people is come in and prepare a month’s worth of meals for freezing and reheating later. The meals are labeled with nutritional information and detailed reheating instructions. The meals are customized to individual dietary needs including low-carb, low-cal, diabetic, food allergies or simple distaste for certain types of food. If a customer has a hankering for a certain type of “comfort” or ethnic food, Linde can oblige.

Several of her clients have what Linde describes as a “frozen food phobia”, but find fast food lacking. Some clients are simply too busy to cook fine meals at home, or aren’t physically able to do the cooking or go out to eat, she said.

It’s not all science, however. Linde said about half of her job is researching and testing new recipes because she promises that she “won’t cook the same meal twice” for a client unless they specifically request it. One client is particularly fond of the salmon dishes she prepares.

As part of her service, Linde will do the grocery shopping for meals and brings all of the cooking equipment. Linde said she shops for the freshest meats, produce and herbs for her meals.

Linde said she spends about four days a week working on her personal chef service. But those are 10+ hour days. Adding to the demands on her time recently has been her performance in the lead role in the Las Cruces Community Theater’s “Gypsy.”

Although in can be very physically challenging at times, Linde said “ I really do love doing this... but, it’s not a 9 to 5 job.”

For more information on Big Red Chef, Personal Chef Service, Chef Lynn can be contacted by calling 571-0577, by e-mail at bigredchef-pcs@centurylink.net or by going to www.bigredchef.com.

Las Cruces Magazine (Fall & Winter 2016)