Learn how to create a perfect gluten free wellness feast from a Ritz Carlton Chef and his sidekick Farmer Starkey. Organic that will forever change your mind about healing foods.

“The right food and the right chef can bring about the right health … and suddenly we live forever!” The executive chef at the Ritz Carlton, Dove Mountain announces with such passion that I began believing in forever too. Introducing Daniel Schmidt, known as the General of his kitchen for his hard driving style. Look a little closer and you will find a family man with heart and the desire to bring decadent wellness to all of us with his culinary creations.

Chef Daniel was born in East Germany and learned his love for food from his grandfather. During the time of his youth, travel from East Germany was challenging yet Daniel’s grandfather was blessed to be in a profession that made it possible. He recalls his grandfather telling him stories of far away places and the dishes he tasted. Soon Daniel was accompanying his beloved grandfather and the spark of an international chef was launched.

Daniel’s maternal grandmother grew all her own food. As I often mention, food directly from the farm tastes better. Daniel illustrates this beautifully when he told me that he will “never forget the taste” of an egg directly from his grandma’s chicken. He describes the bright orange yolk and you can tell from his nostalgic expression that the experience feels like yesterday. “Mama made butter from an old fashioned churn”, Daniel reminisces with love in his eyes. He then reminds me of the “seriousness” of food by explaining his first experience with a potato! Yes, a potato. It seems his grandmother had asked him to select a particular potato and oops he grabbed the wrong one. He laughingly describing the big trouble he was in! His staff will likely tell you the apple didn’t fall far from the tree; knowing their mandate from Chef that each ingredient be perfectly selected.

At the young age of fourteen, Daniel began his career as a dishwasher and was advised by his grandfather to apply for a post at the finest hotel in Berlin. He was hired as a trainee and found himself working under a teacher that he describes more accurately as a drill sergeant. “It was harder than boot camp… everything must be meticulous or she would go nuts… she was even angry if our locker contents weren’t perfectly lined up!” Daniel tells me, shaking his head from the memory. He also credits that discipline to his success. He began winning competitions and became the youngest cooking champion in Berlin. His talents brought him around the world to compete. Everywhere he went he learned about the diverse food and ingredients central to the culture of each location.

Before joining the Dove Mountain team, Chef Daniel worked in South Africa and China. I asked him about the different nuances of each country and he tells me that in China everything begins with soup and every soup acts as a different type of medicine. As a chef in China he studied different herbs to include in his healing dishes.

Chef’s knowledge of traditional farming, healing foods, impeccability of ingredients, and the importance of local and seasonal menus join together to create an amazing experience at CORE, the Ritz Carlton Dove Mountain’s premier restaurant.

Recall that farmer I mentioned?!  Chef Daniel has teamed up with Farmer Richard Starkey to grow the stunning organic ingredients highlighted in the Ritz Carlton creations. Do you recall the farmer of your childhood imagination? Did he look like a cute grandpa? Wear overalls, a hat, giggle , and grow veggies with the primary ingredients of love and sunshine? Yes, yet only in books? Not anymore! We found him in the Tucson desert. Farmer Starkey literally provides the farm to table experience we all so desire. A man of of integrity, he never uses GMO ingredients, pesticides, or herbicides. He knows the critical importance of healthy soil, doesn’t cut corners, and believes in honoring the earth. On his farm you will find a huge variety of fruits and vegetables. Did you know that you can grow watermelons in the desert? How about cucumbers, acorns, peaches, plums, kale, and squash? To prove the excellence of his produce, the first thing he does when we meet is hand me a refractometer. What is that you ask? I wondered the same thing! It turns out it measures the sugar and mineral content of fruit. In other words the quality of what you are about to eat. Both science and my taste buds didn’t prove me wrong. 

As true success always takes a village, the Ritz Carlton team is passionate about their craft. Take for example Kenneth “Shane” Cooprider. A former electronics nerd turned chef that knows first hand the importance of gluten free because his daughter is gluten intolerant. Or Devin Pinto, admired as the Ritz Carlton success story. He began by bussing tables and has moved up the ranks to become an integral part of Chef Daniel’s leadership team.

The dynamic group made a gluten free feast fit for wellness royalty. To learn more about the mouth-watering experience click the link below. It is worth the read and the trip! Join me on a gluten free wellness experience that will inspire you to skip the wheat (trust me you will never miss it!), seek out farmer’s in your area, and choose happy food love!

Learn how the Ritz Carlton Team Creates Gluten Free Nirvana!

Chef Daniel has a vision for his family. He dreams of opening a lovely seasonal breakfast café in Cape Town, South Africa. He imagines a multi –cultural menu of seasonal veggies. In his vision he is home for dinner every night. Together, with his wife and children they watch the sunset. He jumps on his bike every morning to ride to his café with the sunshine and the ocean breeze supporting him. “I promise you will find me there”. Chef Daniel tells me. And when he does I will be the first to bring you the story of his next adventure.

LoveSelf Note: What is your dream? What vision feels like ease and joy? How can you inspire your vision with food?

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Chef Daniel at the Ritz Carlton Dove Mountain creates a gluten free wellness feast that will inspire your next dinner party. And he gave us the recipes!

If you ever thought losing the gluten would mean sacrifice, you are about to be forever changed. Welcome to true farm to table decadence with a focus on organic wellness.

Recall our dear Farmer Starkey? The loving abundance from his farm is the spark that ignited this meal. 

For our first course, I was served a Tepary bean soup with a slow cooked organic egg, Oregon truffle, pork belly, and tuscan kale. 

Tepary beans are native to the Southwest. These protein packed beans adore the Dove Mountain desert! Chef Daniel’s soup is not only gluten free it is also vegan. Without the heaviness of a traditional bean soup and just a touch of heat from the Ancho and Guajillo peppers you will be perfectly comforted in your desert oasis.

Chef and his team pureed the soup to create a perfect foundation for the sous-vide pork belly. (Sous-vide means to seal in an airtight bag and cooked in water bath at low temperatures for an extended period of time). After 36 hours of a love bath for the pork belly it was served with beautifully prepared kale and the most decadent egg you will imagine. Curious about what made the egg so wildly amazing? A truffle! Truffles are an incredible delicacy and simply stated, are similar to an earthy mushroom yet they grow underground. They nourish the forest ecosystem and ultimately us! That is, of course, if we are lucky enough to be served such mama earth riches.

LoveSelf food trivia of the day…. When Ancho chilis are fresh they are called Poblanos. Would you like to make the bean soup at home? Chef provided us the recipe!

Our second course was as beautiful as it was fresh and delicious. Chef and his staff served an artistic salad. Complete with pickled radishes, candy striped beets, pomegranate seeds, goat cheese, and pecans. The overall result was the best kind of raw joy. All of this delicious wellness was served on a ‘red rock soil’ canvas. Imagine homage to the red rocks of the Sedona desert. The team created such wonder by dehydrating tomato skins and red bell peppers. Stunning! 

Are you curious about the dressing created by Chef Daniel? We have that recipe for you too!

Our third course was a baked rainbow trout, served whole, with a smoked fava bean puree, citrus coriander bloom, white asparagus, and a green garlic vierge.

Watch Chef Daniel and Chef Devin Create the Beautiful Presentation

What is a citrus coriander bloom you ask? It is the beautiful herb flower you saw Chef Daniel and Chef Devin adding to the baked trout. The herb adds that perfect citrus punch of lemon and cilantro. 

More LoveSelf trivia! Asparagus that is grown without sunlight stays white. The flavor is a bit more mild than its green partner.

The vierge is a combination of garlic, shallots, basil, tomato and parsley. And yes we have the recipe!

Now ask your tongue to imagine such perfection on a plate. Perfectly flakey fish with citrus note. Smokiness from the puree. Subtle nuances from the asparagus and the perfect blend of spice and layered herbs from the vierge. In other words, every aspect of your palate sings joyously together.

Our fourth course was an eleven spice encrusted pork leg, complete with sweet oranges, and smoked paprika. Before continuing this mouth watering journey of food love, I want to talk about gratitude and honor. (No I am not switching the subject!)

When I received the itinerary for the amazing two days with the Ritz Carlton team I was told I would be participating in the breaking down of the pig from Farmer Starkey’s ranch. Considering I am the lady that carefully carries spiders outside and prays for the animals, I was very nervous. Instead of realizing my fear I discovered something beautiful. Farmer Starkey follows the ancestral traditions of not transporting or causing fear in his animals. He raises them with healthy non-GMO food, tons of love, and personally honors his animals for their sacrifice. The Ritz Carlton continues this respect by using every part of the pig to nourish our bodies. Absolutely nothing was wasted. I witnessed the devotion and was moved to tears. The treatment of that pig was honoring to its life. Truly. I was changed. It is up to you whether you choose to be vegan or paleo. We are all on a journey. Whatever choice you make, please do so with respect, gratitude, and honor. We are energy and every choice we make affects the earth, one another, and all of life.

The meal was complimented with beautiful gluten free bread. It actually had air pockets like the real thing!!! Whoohooo!

We ended with lemon meringue cheesecake. The lemons were from Farmer Starkey’s trees and the graham crust (once again!) will make you wonder why you ever cared about gluten to begin with.

Here’s to your decadent wellness!!! Cheers!

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A Ritz Carlton chef’s story about organic inspiration and caring for those we love

At LoveSelf we adore decadent wellness and know that healthy doesn’t have to be about sacrifice. Because our love journey is all about following your dreams and sharing the healing joy of food, we asked ourselves what would be the most amazing way to capture the essence of such earth inspired abundance?! Welcome to the stunning farm to table restaurant at the Ritz Carlton Cast and Plow in Marina Del Ray, California. Follow along on this journey and you will forever know that organic vegetables are indeed our planet’s royalty.

The talented Cast and Plow team is led by Chef Umit Kaygusuz. Like all natural leaders Umit knows achievement takes collaboration and he is only as successful as those around him. Chef Umit found his early love for cooking watching his professionally trained grandmother create wonderful pastries. I asked him when he knew he wanted to be a chef. He said “always”. Because we sometimes forget the calling of our own heart, he talked himself into architecture school, only to be continually reminded of his love for cooking. To pursue his passion, he began taking evening classes at a local culinary school while in college. Years later, he has worked across the world. Most recently in Dubai before coming to California. He speaks of boutique farmers and the importance of knowing where our food comes from. You can see the gentle strength in his intelligent face. Umit shares so much of the LoveSelf philosophy when he tells me about the importance of “living in the moment and enjoying life itself”. He also reminds me to mention to those aspiring chefs that success isn’t just about culinary talent alone. You must also understand business in order to fully succeed as an empowered executive. His advice? Learn everyday.

Photo Credit: Ritz Carlton Marina Del Ray

Umit’s eyes speak the truth when he talks about genuinely caring for his team. Speaking of generosity, a man not to covet the spotlight, Umit highlighted his Chef Tournant, Brandon Duley, as LoveSelf’s inspiring person.

Chef Brandon Duley is young, kind, talented, and has a heart of gold. Chef Duley and I went to the farmer’s market together to choose the ingredients for our tasting. I knew I was to be the blessed recipient of a seven-course dinner. Little did I know how lucky I was to become.

As many teenage boys, Brandon had a rebellious streak. His passion was often misguided until one day, quite by accident, he found himself in culinary school and discovered a fuel for his fire that is now an inferno of talent and joy. Chef Brandon (Duley as he prefers to be called) tells me that he attended culinary school because in his youthful exuberance he decided to follow his then girlfriend. He describes what he calls his “whim”. Only after graduating did he discover that he had fallen into his life’s calling. During his first job he realized how little he knew and how much his competitive spirit didn’t like such lack. So he set out to learn and be the best at what he could do. Duley tells me about becoming obsessed with technique. About his growth curve and falling in with the idea of “healthy and positive”. He describes falling in love with local, and “standing up for what is good”. His eyes reflect the heart of his passion and enthusiasm.

Chef Duley then tells me something that raises him from a talented chef to a true inspiration. With emotion that brought tears to my eyes, Brandon tells me of his love for his mom. Brandon’s mom has ALS and he takes care of her. He describes with the most sincerest love that inspires hope in all of us, stating she is “the most amazing person in the world” and how he is “so proud” to take care of her. Not for one moment, does he feel any sense of burden, only the purest of desire to pay it forward. “She was always there for me. She taught me to be a good guy.”

As a person destined for only the best, he has become an integral part of the Ritz Carlton team. Starting on nights, he has worked different shifts and stations, constantly being promoted. Duley’s leaders believe in his talent and have supported his staging -pronounced stahg-ing- at restaurants across the country to gain valuable experience. (For those that haven’t heard the term- a chef will stage as either part of an interview selection process or in Duley’s case as a volunteer to continue to refine his skills).

Walking the market together, Brandon would tell me about the importance of organic strawberries, asking, teaching, and telling along the way. “These strawberries are grown in Oxnard. They are small, sweet, and amazing”. Or “I love arugula” and proceed to describe the subtle nuances of different arugula varieties. He picked up a potato and said with full sincerity, “this potato will change your life”! At one point he hurried over to an organic farm stand and asked, “Do you like peas? You have to try these!! If people only knew what they were actually like.” And “Oh these guys are great,” when picking up a leek. I laughed when halfway through our shopping excursion, he said, “this is where I get excited!” Wow, you mean this isn’t excitement yet? On and on we went to the point that I wanted everyone to have the opportunity to feel the earth enthusiasm this man brings to his work and the art of food. His passion was justified on all levels. The peas tasted like sunshine nirvana and everything we had the opportunity to sample had little resemblance to their grocery store cousins. You can taste mama earth joy in each bite.

A believer in practicing what he preaches, Chef Duley knows the importance of supporting small farmers, of non-GMO, and knowing where your food comes from. He is also part of the energy conservation group at the Ritz Carlton, pays attention to always doing the right thing, is dedicated to green practices, and has even started his own garden on the property.

Recall that dinner I teased you about? Are you thinking can such a great guy also rock the kitchen to the point of amazement? Oh yes! Let me tell you something about amazing! Everything we ate was purchased at the market that day. I asked Duley what he was going to make. His response was to tell me that he would let the produce inspire him. “I will figure out what I want to do when I get in the kitchen”. And figure it out he did.

Imagine you return from the farmer’s market. You arrive in your kitchen and set on the counter the following items: avocados, snap peas, radish and broccoli sprouts, pink and purple potatoes, oranges, tangerines, grapefruit, spinach, sorrel, mushrooms, sunchokes, a handmade blueberry cacao bar, leeks, and arugula. What would you create?

Beginning with the avocados. Duley created an avocado mousse. It was the perfect blend of citrus and salt. Huge bonus! He gave us the recipe so you can create such joy for your guests.

My second course was a sprouted pea emulsion. As Duley calls it sprouts upon sprouts upon sprouts. The snap peas came from our new organic farmer friend Mike at the market. Light, spring-like, and colorful. With the addition of lemon zest and purple sprouted broccoli the dish was beautiful and incredibly creative.

The third course was magical. It is my wish that all of you can taste food so amazing that your eyes roll and nothing seems the same ever again. The source of such alchemy? Leeks! Duley took a seemingly ordinary leek and created a confit with sorrel pesto, toasted flax, and our market micro spinach. I was raving to the server about the dish of tender joy. Her response “Yes. Awesome! We know we are lucky to have him.”

And the love continued. Next I was presented with diver scallops served with a thyme, bay, cream, and shallot mushroom puree, dense and meaty dried wild and hedgehog mushrooms. Divine.

Are you swooning yet? Recall those pink and purple potatoes? Well! They really are pink. Bright pink and a stunning shade of purple. Chef Duley created a duck confit two ways. Soft and crispy with potato chips made from our market finds, sunchokes pureed and crispy. Stunning and rich with just a touch of fresh thyme.

Most chefs stop when it comes to dessert. Not Duley! He took the raw cacao bars we purchased at the market and created a chocolate deconstructed fantasy. Complete with mascarpone, lavender, dried blueberries, pistachio flour, dates that were like soft caramel, and a wildflower honey. I was stunned and speechless with delirious happiness.

Lastly, we ended with a citrus sunset. Meyer lemon panna cotta, surrounded by blood oranges, tangerines, and tangelos. I smile recalling the brightness and perfect finish.

This is where I must tell you that everything in that stunning meal was not only brilliantly delectable; it was all inspiration for your body. Food is decadent wellness and healthy never has to be about sacrifice. The seven courses created by Chef Brandon Duley are a stunning illustration that the abundance of the earth can make your tongue dance and your body sing with joy.

Duley and I wrapped up our evening speaking of authenticity. His desire is to be known as the chef that inspires joy. Brandon- You inspire joy everyday. As your executive chef told me, “I am happy.” Yes, me too!

In addition to the avocado mousse, chef also created a chocolate avocado pudding recipe for us. Enjoy!

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