Interview with local culinary instructor, motivational speaker and caterer
Chef Craig Chasky, a graduate of The Culinary Institute of America, is a local culinary instructor, motivational speaker and caterer who incorporates organic, digestible essential oils into his dishes. He is the president of Infused Cuisine as well as HealWell and Thrive, which is his initiative to teach his particular brand of healing cuisine.
Q: What inspired you to become a chef?
A: I grew up on Long Island, New York, and I always loved being in the kitchen. My mom showed me how to select produce while I hung out in the store shopping cart by smelling, touching and tasting various fruits and vegetables. When I was a teenager, I moved to North Carolina, and I washed pots and pans at Queens University for 750 students. I then filled in for an absent chef and I was voted in to take over when I was only 15.
Q: What have been some of your career highlights?
A: At the CIA, I majored in the “sauce workshop” that only eight master chefs attended. I was the sole proprietor and chef of The Underhill Inn in The Berkshires. I also hosted “Vox Spot” on NPR. I was a regular guest on the Food Network for more than three years, as well as a regular on ABC and NBC. I was the developer of a gourmet product line for Macy’s, Bloomingdale’s, Fairway and Zabar’s. My current gourmet product line is available at Morton’s Gourmet Market.
Q: What are some of your current projects?
A: Most recently, I independently developed a second gourmet product line of 10 products, which includes my “Far Out” sauce with CBD oil showcased weekly at the Englewood and Venice farmers markets. Also, I am an instructor, nutritional advisor, motivational speaker, caterer and president of Infused Cuisine, where I teach chefs how to permeate cuisine with certified pure therapeutic-grade digestible essential oils, which are 50 to 70 times the strength of herbs and add value to cuisine.
Q: What was one of the most memorable moments in your career?
A: In the early 1980s, I had the honor and pleasure of working with Cary Grant as host to the reopening of the Museum of Modern Art in New York City.
Q: What is the most challenging aspect of being a chef in Sarasota?
A: Most chefs do not work together. They can choose to work together and cross-market, which adds value to each other in a very competitive profession. We need to team up and support one another by utilizing each other’s products and services.
ANGEL HAIR PASTA WITH DOTERRA ESSENTIAL OILS
Ingredients:
1 pound angel hair pasta
4 ounces sundried tomatoes
6 ounces artichoke hearts, cut into quarters
1 zucchini, yellow squash, red pepper, yellow pepper and carrot (outside of each julienned)
2 ounces extra virgin olive oil plus
2 ounces extra virgin olive oil with 2 drops doTERRA essential oils (lemon, oregano and basil)
4 ounces kalamata olives, cut in half
2 tablespoons fresh minced garlic
1 red onion, cut into crescents
Pecorino Romano cheese, grated
Method:
Cook the pasta al dente and set it aside. Cut the sundried tomatoes into slivers and set them aside. Heat the olive oil in a saute pan until it simmers. Add the garlic and onion, and saute for 3 minutes (toss gently after 1 minute). Add all of the veggies, toss and cook for 4 to 5 minutes. Add the pasta, toss 3 times and cook for another 2 minutes. Reduce the heat to a simmer. Add the olive oil with the essential oil mix on the outside of the sauce pan, and simmer for 30 seconds. Toss and serve with cheese.
For more information on Craig Chasky, call 941- 224-5924 or visit chefcraigchasky.com.