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Tina Patel has been cooking since she was in the fourth grade. With a natural curiosity, she combines flavors and foods that will leave you asking for the recipe, but that’s half the problem — she doesn’t follow one. Without any formal cooking lessons, just her love for cooking and entertaining, she’s worked with Colin Cowie, opened her own restaurant and can whip up a dozen cupcakes on the fly. Tina Patel is our local Racheal Ray. CH: How many cookbooks do you have, and do you have a favorite? Tina: I don’t have as many as you would think; I have about 25 to 30. A friend gave me Joy of Cooking, and I love it because it explains things, though I don’t love it because it doesn’t have pictures, and I’m a picture girl. I do a lot of my stuff online, and Pinterest is my friend. Fifteen minutes before I go to bed, I’ll scroll through and see what’s new and exciting. I don’t really have a favorite cookbook, though recently I’ve fallen in love with the Pioneer Women, mainly because her recipes are so down to earth, homey and yummy. I like to take her recipes and just add my own spin. She has a recipe for sesame noodles that are to die for, and I like to make a big batch of those and then add chicken, beef, shrimp or make it as a side dish. CH: Healthy cooking and organic ingredients are very important for a lot of people these days. How do you incorporate healthy options into your everyday meal planning? Tina: If I’m baking, it’s a little hard. If you health it up too much, it’s likely to change the texture or taste, but I will throw in some zucchini, carrots or healthy additions, and people don’t even know it’s in there. For me, sweet treats are just fun. If I’m cooking, it’s a little easier to throw in fresh ingredients such as sautéed spinach. And I try to use ingredients that are in season.
CH: At what age did you start cooking? Do you remember what your first dish was? Tina: I’ve been cooking since I was really young. My mom was Indian, so she was always cooking Indian food, and I remember going to the library as a little girl, I’d always come back with a cookbook. My mom was a good cook, and I learned about adding spices and combining different flavors from her. My cooking really started from trial and error and a natural curiosity. Now food is a communal thing for me. It’s how we get together as a family, so I’m always having people over, and there’s always food, wine and fun. Some people are outdoorsy; I’m kitcheny. CH: How long have you been in Columbia? Tina: I’ve been in Columbia since 1999. I went to the University of Missouri and studied broadcast journalism. I didn’t really find my way and ended up graduating with a political science and communications degree. CH: Now you are working at the Country Club of Missouri. How did you get into food service? Tina: Yes, I’m the director of events at the Country Club of Missouri. I’ve been working in restaurants since I was 16 and got my first job out of college at the Holiday Inn Executive Center doing convention services. I really wanted to do weddings though, so I talked my boss into letting me be a full-fledged wedding planner. It was stressful, but at the end of the day, you’re doing something amazing for someone, and you’re hoping you can create a memory of a lifetime for them. The food, beverages, ambience and entertainment are the center of the party.
CH: What are some of your favorite ingredients? Tina: My spice cabinet is huge, and I experiment all the time. I use a lot of yellow curry, dill, basil, Herbes de Provence, fresh ground pepper and sea salt. I love to cook with fresh herbs, so I’m always pulling things from my herb garden like fresh thyme, oregano, mint and basil. Every season brings new spices to work with. CH: There’s a lot of creativity that comes with cooking. Would you say you are creative? Tina: For me cooking is a lot of stress relief, so if I’m having a really bad day, I go home and bake a loaf of zucchini bread. People around me know when it’s been a really stressful week because I come to work with a few dozen cupcakes and batches of whatever’s in my kitchen cabinets. CH: What would you say to the noncook? How would you get him or her into the kitchen? Tina: I’d give them a really basic cookbook and tell them to invite some friends, I’ll bring the wine, and let’s just have fun. I think if people really learn the basics of cooking, they are less scared of it. I would actually love to write a cookbook that covers all the questions people have when they start cooking including step-by-step instructions. Most recipes list ingredients with instructions but lack the explanations for why you should fold something in or what’s going to happen if you don’t. I can see why it’s frustrating for people who haven’t cooked before; the recipe might have an easy star by it but be far from easy. Follow Tina’s Pinterest board at: pinterest.com/patina1218 columbiahomemagazine.com | 43