Me
I'm Gary, a recipe developer, dinner party chef, and home cook. I like food. I mean, I really, really like food. I can remember taking Jiffy cornbread to school in 3rd grade for show-and-tell. Who does that? Yep, me. By the time I was in middle school, I could cook dinner for the whole family. And I did often - lasagna was (and still is) a specialty. So by the time I left for college, I could hold my own more than most 18-year-old guys.
I was a bachelor until age 35. And over the years, I've worked in some fantastic restaurants with great chefs. They exposed me to a whole new level of food - ingredients and cuisines. So what I would learn at work, I often tried to duplicate at home. I also went through seasons of eating different diets - from vegan to low-carb, which involved lots of cooking. Along with that, cooking shows have always been one of my favorite forms of television. From Gordon Ramsey to Vivian Howard, I've learned quite a bit from cooking shows.
When I had an opportunity to audition for season 8 of MasterChef in 2016, my cooking went to a whole other level. On the day of the first audition, I remember being completely shocked that I made the first cut. And the second. And the third… Then when they asked me to come back the next day… And it just kept going. With each cut, they just kept calling. And before I knew it, I was on my my way to Los Angeles.
All during this time, I was cooking my butt off. I mean, I was cooking anything and everything I had seen them cook on the show in years past. From learning how to poach eggs to attempting Gordon Ramsay’s Beef Wellington. And you know what… I realized that not only was I a pretty good cook, but I LOVED it! I found that it was very similar in nature to creating music. You write a song, record it, and share it with people. Just like you write a recipe, cook it, and share it. Who knew? (Read more about my Master Chef journey here.)
Our Team
Hi, I'm Rachael, Gary's wife and the other half of The Foodie Eats team. Before returning to the classroom as a full-time teacher in 2021, I devoted my time to food photography and creating the occasional dessert recipe. Now, I occasionally work behind the scenes, copy-editing blog posts and, of course, taste-testing Gary's delicious creations!
Our Mission
We believe that food is meant to be enjoyed. Whether we're creating a simple recipe, or taking the time to cook a recipe that's more involved, this is our goal: Creating delicious food that everyone can enjoy.
Thanks for visiting!