Celebrity Chef Dave White recently released his first cookbook "Salted:A Recipe Book with a Story to Tell." This new book spotlights 50 of his favorite recipes and adventurous travels (photos included) around the world.

Before he was the chef on Bravo's "Below Deck Mediterranean," Chef White cooked in some of the finest kitchens in London and Paris and was a top competitor skier. In the book's endorsement, Captain Sandy Yawn writes that Chef White "was the best chef on Below Deck Med." With mountaintops and valleys in his life, Chef White shares how cooking saved him. He is a big advocate for mental health and openly speaks about his own challenges.

Having grown up near London, Chef White has a passion for Fish N Chips and hopes to one day open a restaurant. Meanwhile, he continues his culinary adventures on land and sea.

Here are Chef Dave's top tips for the home chef:

1. When you are cooking, it needs to be fun. I never write lists when I go shopping. See what's fresh and organic and what they brought in that morning. Then create something around that ingredient.
2. Season fish and meat treating them both the same. Let it set out for an hour before you cook it.
3. Bread doesn't have to be complicated. Just get good flour, all purpose and some quick yeast. Put it together in one pot, warm water, rest and a tiny bit of sugar. Don't overthink. Let it proof once and just bake it at a high heat. It really isn't that complicated.
4. A bonus tip from Chef Dave White is to use Maldon Sea Salt from Cornwall.

What is your favorite salt?

Be sure and visit Kitchenchat.info for more celebrity chefs and recipes.

Savor the Day!

Monica Rothgery, former COO of KFC US, part of Yum Brands, shares inspiring lessons about excellence along with surprising insights into fast food kitchens. Monica's recent book, "Lessons from the Drive-Thru: Real Life Wisdom for Frontline Leaders" goes beyond optimal team management practices and provides great advice for everyone who is pursuing excellence in their lives.

A great tip to attract and retain loyal employees and to create an environment where team members feel valued is to invest both monetary and relationship capital. Engagement is essential. Take the time to learn about your team members and always show respect. The team members impact the customer experience. Monica's advice to optimize customer service is to not overreact or take things personally. She taught her team members to respond to a frustrated customer by saying: "That shouldn't have happened. Let me fix it for you." That validating response can help diffuse emotions. Her customer service tip can be applied in many home or business life situations. She emphasized that frontline management greatly impacts people, not only the team members but also the customers. Many first jobs are at fast food restaurants. Management needs to realize that they have the power to positively change lives.

You may be surprised to learn about the time and effort KFC and Yum Brands take to innovate new flavors and offerings. The Food Innovation Team even studies trends in fine dining as part of their innovation and creation approach. Chicken and Waffles and Nashville Hot are examples of this practice.

Bottom line, Monica encourages everyone to increase the top line of life, i.e. finding and doing the things that bring joy. She recommends writing down what depletes you and what brings you joy and fulfillment and to focus always on the joy. Monica reminds us that abundance follows joy.

Savor the day!

Link to the book "Lessons from the Drive-Thru: Real Life Wisdom for Frontline Leaders", https://www.amazon.com/Lessons-Drive-Thru-Wisdom-Frontline-Leaders/dp/B0CWYWXRXL

Be sure and visit https//www.KitchenChat.info for more interesting interviews with top chefs and personalities and subscribe to the audio podcast on Apple.com https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/kitchen-chat-margaret-mcsweeney/id447185040

#FrontlineLeaders #customerservice #teammanagement #employeeengagement #fastfoodsecrets #kfc #joyfulliving #lifelessons #leadershiptips

Kitchen Chat Host and Founder Margaret McSweeney is joind by Executive Pastry Chef Riccardo Menicucci for "A Taste of Luxury, History and Hospitality at Beverly Wilshire, A Four Seasons Hotel".

The Beverly Wilshire is a sweet destination, especially during Oscars Week. This year's amenities included a film projector made of Valrhona Manjari, a luxury chocolate, in addition to a thoughtfully designed and braided croissant representing the team of talented people required to create a film. And of course it was topped with gold!

Beverly Wilshire, a Four Seasons Hotel, has a long history within the entertainment industry. This luxury hotel opened in Beverly Hills in January of 1928. The Beatles even held their first press conference in the Champagne Room.

Here are Chef Meniccui's three top tips for the home pastry chef:

1. When you make pastry cream, you don't need to boil your milk. It's very important. Otherwise you cook the proteins of your milk and it tastes different.
2. Always mix your dry ingredients with a whisk so you don't have chunks of flour in your mix. Don't ever feel afraid to leave your comfort zone.
3. There is no losing or winning, only trying.

Beverly Wilshire is one of my favorite hotels in the Los Angeles area to stay and to host events. This historic place provides a taste of luxury at every turn, and their staff is professional and always willing to accommodate and personalize your experience. The BLVD staff even printed customized keepsake menus just hours before a pre-Taste Awards party that I hosed to honor my friend, Lisa-Renee Ramirez, Emmy-Award winning executive producer, director and creator for Allen Media Group.

Thank you, Beverly Wilshire and Chef Menicucci for this Kitchen Chat along with the photos you provided.

Thank you, foodie friends! What are some of your favorite destinations? Savor the day!

Be sure and visit https//www.KitchenChat.info and subscribe to the Kitchen Chat audio podcast on Apple.com, https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/kitchen-chat-margaret-mcsweeney/id447185040