"Once you've dined in, you'll never want to dine out again."That's what personal chef Robyn Goorevitch tells her prospective clients, and to a large extent, that adage has rung true for those whose palates have been fortunate enough to have experienced her Dining in Chez Vous delicacies firsthand.
"I treat my clients the way I like to be treated," she said of her business, which celebrated its 10th anniversary this year. "I work hand in hand with each one, so that I can prepare exactly what they want and leave them totally satisfied."
In addition to being the owner and head chef of Dining In, a personal chef and catering service, Goorevitch added "award-winning" to her title this summer when the United States Personal Chefs Association (USPCA) named her their Personal Chef of the Year.
As both the first female and the first Canadian to ever win the award, it was an honour Goorevitch said caught her completely by surprise.
"I was told before I went to the big USPCA conference in New Orleans in July that I was nominated, and I just laughed because I didn't think a Canadian chef would ever win," she said, whilst preparing lunch for a couple of lucky journalists in the kitchen of her Alderwood home recently.
RECIPES ONLINE: Get Chef Robyn's recipes for Creamy Dill Salmon Filet, Autumn Salad and Creme Brulee.
"I didn't give it a second thought because they always choose an American...little did I know that not only would I be the first Canadian, but also the first female to win this award in a male-dominated industry."
Humble despite her big win, Goorevitch quickly turned the discussion away from the honour and onto the community that has embraced her wholeheartedly since she moved from North York five years ago - and the journey that led her to it.
"When I first moved, I was worried about finding clients here in Etobicoke - but now I never want to leave," she said. "Etobicoke is such a friendly place and everyone is helping me spread my business base through all the wonderful word of mouth they've given me."
While cooking was a passion passed down to her from her nutritionist mother, it took nearly 17 years for Goorevitch to pursue an education in it.
She got her start paying her way through university - where she started off studying phys-ed - by making deserts for various restaurants, and continued doing so even after taking on full-time employment as a legal assistant. Then came a move to Grand Cayman Island, where she lived on the beach and catered sunset dinner cruises for nearly eight years.
It wasn't until she returned to Canada, moving to Toronto to be closer to her father, that Goorevitch decided to go back to school and focus on her dream of starting her own business. And after studying at both George Brown College here in Toronto and Le Cordon Bleu Ottawa Culinary Arts Institute in Ottawa, Dining In Chez Vous was born as a success.
"At first, people kept saying to me 'who would want a stranger coming into their homes to cook for them?' but within two years, I needed to bring in part-time help. Two years later, I added another full-time chef, and now there's three of us, plus a sushi chef," she said.
While her staff has expanded, so has the services Dining In provides.
In addition to Goorevitch's personal chef service - whereby she or one of her staff chefs will come to a client's home armed with a big enough load of fresh groceries to personally prepare a five-meal menu plan in their own kitchen - Dining In also provides Sunday brunch services, special event catering, and both traditional and interactive dinner party services, turning your home into your favourite restaurant.
Jim Lucas, a Kingsway Royal LePage sales representative who lives in High Park, has garnered rave reviews each time he's commissioned Goorevitch for the interactive experience.
"We first hired Robyn for my father-in-law's 60th birthday party. He's a big foodie, so he was thrilled," he said, noting the wild mushroom soup and shrimp dish Goorevitch taught them how to prepare were big hits all around, but especially with the birthday boy. "He still raves about it and still uses the recipes she gave him."
Goorevitch's interactive dinner parties teach clients all the tricks of the trade - from choosing the right cut of meat and using the right cooking techniques, right down to food handling safety. And at the end of it all, clients get their own detailed recipe book, complete with hints, tips and all the secrets of the masters.
But the best part of the experience for Lucas, he said, was the convenience of it all.
"She does all the shopping and brings all the utensils, and she cleans everything up when she's done. It's like having a restaurant in your house, except you can sit back and enjoy a drink or two and not worry about having to drive home because you're already there," he said, noting that he's referred Goorevitch's services to many of his satisfied clients.
"The prices are great for the quality and quantity you get - the portions are huge and the food is delicious."