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Q. What are the benefits of My Gourmet Kitchen?
A. We are the first independent meal prep kitchen in Chicago offering organic ingredients. We do all the menu planning, grocery shopping, prep work and clean-up… this means more time to do the things that matter to you most.
We offer healthy, nutritious, organic and all-natural meals using a variety of seasonal produce, free-range/hormone free meats and whole grains to insure your family is eating a well-balanced diet.
Q. How is this more economical?
A. Cost Savings- at an average cost of $5 to $6 per serving, we offer a fresh, healthy and gourmet alternative to fast food. My Gourmet Kitchen will fulfill your dinner needs with healthy ingredients you control. And you won't have to buy all the necessary ingredients to make the variety of gourmet entrées available at My Gourmet Kitchen, so there is no waste or special trips to the grocery store.
Q. Are the meals complete meals?
A. The majority of our meals come complete; however we do recommend pairing them with a light salad or vegetable (although sometimes they come with veggies too!). We like to make life easy so we also have a large variety of side dishes and desserts available for purchase.
Q. What kind of food do you use?
A. We strive to use the very best ingredients for our meals.
- All of our produce is organic and we use locally grown produce whenever possible.
- We offer meats and poultry that are organic, all-natural, free-range, hormone free and grain or grass fed whenever possible.
- We offer whole wheat and gluten free alternative grains and pastas. We often use brown rice, whole wheat couscous and quinoas grains, and limit the amount of processed grains.
My Gourmet Kitchen gives you a chance to eat healthy and organic at an affordable price and without a big time commitment.
Q. Do I do any cooking at the session?
A. You prepare all the ingredients so that they are easy to make when you get home. You do not do any cooking at the session, so that you can cook it fresh when you want to eat it. The average time it will take you to make your meals when you get home is 0 minutes of prep. All that you need to do at home is bake, grill or sauté the entrée, leaving you more time to do other things.
Q. Do I do any clean up?
A. There is no clean up whatsoever for you! When you are done with a station, you move onto the next while we clean up! No dishes, no chopping, no shopping…and especially no clean up!
Q. What are your serving sizes?
A. Our serving sizes are generous and practical. A Full Order serves 4-6 people while a Half Order serves 2-3 people. If you feel you need a larger serving size of a meal for a dinner party or large family gathering, give us a call and we can arrange a larger meal plan for you. We will be happy to cater to your needs.
Q. How are the meals stored? Can I bring my own pans?
A. We use a combination of foil pans and Ziploc bags to store your meals. We provide everything that is needed (other than the cooler). However if you would like to bring your own pans, please do so! We RESPECT our environment and want to minimize our impact on it. Just give us a call and we will tell you what sizes to bring. You can also bring a nice pan if you are planning a dinner party and would like to serve your meal in a certain container.
Q. Do I need to know how to cook?
A. No, all the ingredients are chopped, diced and prepared for you. Just follow the recipe at each of our prep stations and start assembling! During every session our culinary staff will be available for questions and advice. We provide a cooking label for each meal that contains easy to follow cooking instructions.
Q. Must all entrées be cooked in my oven?
A. Each of our entrées has its own cooking instructions, which may include grilling, baking or sautéing. Cooking instructions will be provided in your Gourmet Guide.
Q. Do I need to bring food or water with me to my session?
A. No, we provide complimentary refreshments to enhance your culinary experience.
Q. What if I am on a diet? Can you accommodate this?
A. Yes! We absolutely want to help you with your health goals! Our meals come with a nutritional analysis. Most of our meals are naturally low in calories and contain healthy fats. You can always alter the ingredients to fit your calorie goals as well- use less cheese, no salt, etc.
Q. Do you offer private sessions/parties?
A. Absolutely! If you would like to schedule a private party we require a minimum of 8 people and we will make it a day or night to remember! It’s a great gathering place for friends, family members, co-workers and corporate events. We can customize a private session for a wedding shower, baby shower, work party, book club meeting, networking event, girl’s night out, or any gathering you can think of! The party host will receive one complimentary full entrée of their choice. Our private sessions also include free appetizers for all of you to enjoy while spending time together. Contact us at 773.278.5800 to discuss the details of your party, or check out the Private Party section of our website.
Q. Do you deliver?
A. Yes. We also have curbside pick-up at no charge. Just call us ahead of time and pre-order your entrees or check to see what we have available in our freezer. Call us when you are almost at our store and we will deliver your order right to your vehicle! How’s that for service. We also offer Delivery services for a nominal fee. Please call for details
Q. Can I split my entrees with a friend?
A. Yes. An example would be to come together and prepare a minimum of four full entrées. You can divide the entrees into smaller serving dishes to split
Q. My family has finicky eaters. How can I satisfy everyone?
A. Our entrée recipes are highly customizable to your specific tastes. You can add or remove ingredients to meet your needs. You can also split entrées, for instance making one half spicy and the other half mild.
Q. My family has food allergies. How can you help?
A. Our ingredients are clearly labeled so you know exactly what you're using. We are happy to work with you to ensure your food safety. Contact us to review your concerns before your session. If we are preparing the meals for you, we will follow your customized instructions for food preparation.
Q. Can I bring my children to the store?
A. Yes! Children over 12 are welcome anytime to help assemble. We will have special Children’s Days where any child under 12 can participate in assembling meals with you.
Q. Will I have enough room in my freezer?
A. Yes! You may wish to dispose of old items in your freezer with severe freezer burn! The containers we provide for your entrées are stackable and vary in size for convenient storage in your freezer. Most of our entrees are sealed in a Ziploc freezer bag which is more convenient if your freezer space is limited.
Q. What is the recommended procedure for thawing the food?
A. When you leave the session, keep the meals you plan to eat in the next 2-3 days in your fridge (fish dishes are 1-2 days) and place the rest in your freezer. The evening before you would like to cook your food (24 hours) take the meal out of your freezer and put it in into your refrigerator. If it is not completely thawed when it’s time to cook it, increase the cooking time according to the cooking instructions we provide. NEVER thaw any food on the countertop – this can cause food borne illness!! You can also thaw the food in the microwave with the defrost setting.
Q. What if I need to cancel or reschedule?
A. Due to the amount of planning each session requires, we require 2 days notice to cancel or reschedule your session for a full refund. If you are unable to give at least 2 days, we will happy to assemble your meals for an additional cost of $3 per meal.
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