About

Origins: About HomeCookedFeast

Fusion is King @HomeCookedFeast

I was raised in a nice, middle-class, half-Japanese family in Calgary, Canada: the land of Alberta Beef. Growing up we ate mostly some kind of Asian-fusion (ie. meat/rice vs. meat/potatoes) and I still love to cook. That said, I have no formal culinary training.

After studying international relations and business, curiosity lead me to several years of international vagabonding and a passion for visiting new cultures and eating delicious food.

I now work as Director of Marketing in construction/restoration and pursue side-hustle projects with start-up ventures as a marketing strategist here in Calgary.

As an “experienced” amateur chef, I believe I can help you cook well at home!

Home Cooking Food Challenges

I won’t claim this blog started as an accident, but admittedly, starting it was never in my immediate plans. However, with unprecedented times, comes unprecedented measures. When CoVid-19 forced closure of dine-in restaurants, my professional chef-brother (in Vancouver) and I (in Calgary) put our home-cooking skills to the test in some friendly brotherly #foodphotography head-to-head.

Going one step further, in a time when international travel wasn’t possible and forced cancellations of our own, we thereby made a pact to try different techniques and styles of food from around the world! Combined with a few Instagram challenges including #travelkitchenchallenge, #globalfoodchallenge, #aroundtheworldinfood, and an inadvertent online duel/showcase with my professionally trained Chef Brother IG @chef.j.hoch, our journey began. (His always looked better… and I’m sure tasted better too.)

As we continued our home-cooked, semi-weekly, gourmet feasts, I combined my love of food with my passion for photography. I figured others like me would benefit from step-by-step guidance and recipes on how we built these incredible and complex meals.

My goal is to reduce the number of ads you see in my posts (even as a marketer, I hate blogs littered with ads) and, while supported by corporate partnerships and affiliates, I want our site to remain true to the love for food.

More specifically, the passion for eating delicious, home cooked feasts.  

A couple upgrades later

After setting up a new Instagram @homecookedfeast installing a new counter-top, acquiring some new plate-ware, and connecting with some old restaurant contacts around Calgary, particularly for showcasing our #homecookedfeast, we’re open for business…er… readership!

My hope is that I, as a non-professional chef (not to be confused with unprofessional haha), can help inspire YOU to make restaurant quality food, right in the comfort of your own home.

Home Cooked Vision

Whether you’re here for the first time (welcome!) or a long-time subscriber (thanks again!), thanks for stopping in. My goal is to break down some of the daunting parts of cooking at home. I will try to identify pinch points or my difficulties from my prior attempts whenever possible. That said, several of these international dishes are my first attempts as well!

I am clearly NOT classically trained in culinary, so most techniques I know have come from YouTube or informal conversations with pro chefs (including, but not limited to, my brother and his buddies).

I am a past General Manager of ONE18 EMPIRE, one of Calgary’s top whiskey and cocktail bars. During my year there, I spent most my time in the front-of-house with guests and, to my dismay, admired the food-art somewhat from afar. Our culinary team was very talented and put out some amazing dishes, to which I was mostly limited to serving (vs eating and/or creating). Working in the [home] kitchen, now, is how I plan to give back.

What you can expect

I’ll create feasts with as many dishes that are reasonable, staying as true to traditional recipes as possible. I will document and break everything down for you and offer combinations, pairings, and variations, etc. I will generally have a fusion-twist available and/or something a little outside the box – tried & true, or on the fly! As a beer enthusiast with a background in cocktailing, down the line, I will also offer recipes in drinks and pairings. Straight up, I want your feast to be the best it can be.

As far as presentation, I try to do my research. I’ve found many interesting platings from other bloggers and Instagrammers. Like you, I’ll try to put my own spin on things wherever I can.

We are nutritionally conscious when possible, but hey, this is about the love of food. Sometimes, eating white flour, using refined sugar and deep-frying foods keeps recipes authentic to their cultural heritages. Who am I to argue with tradition?

Please comment! Any tips, tricks or mods are more than welcome. I’m excited to hear how your families have perfected these dishes with many years of experience.

If you would order it in a restaurant, YOU can cook it at home!

My Mission

Food is energy. Food is comfort. Food is travel. Food is love.

It is our goal to fuel whatever fuels you and do it in a delicious way.

I want you to learn from my successes and from my mistakes. Please comment so I can also improve my techniques. Above all, though, build some confidence for yourself in the kitchen.

I want you to create on your own home cooked feast(s) (big or small) for those who you love and/or those who love good food.

“If I can cook it, so can you!”

– Kai Hochhausen, Founder – HomeCookedFeast.com

Cheers and thanks again for stopping in.

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