An Oro Valley personal chef finds his clients are willing to pay for meticulously prepared, artfully presented food, even when economic times are a challenge.
Michael Neylan owns and operates Party Time Personal Chef Services, providing in-home gourmet meals for clients, and doing all the preparation and cooking for dinner parties, weddings, birthdays and more.
"Most of my clients are from referrals," and they are frequently from upper end communities in the Northwest and greater Tucson, Neylan said.
Neylan, a trained chef who has worked for 25 years, has learned in high-end bakeries and fine restaurants. He formerly operated a catering company with various corporate, private and celebrity clients, and ran a gourmet private charter airline catering company, preparing food for people such as Martha Stewart and Tommy Hilfiger.
Neylan would not speak about a current client, but of Stewart, Neylan said, "You give her what she wants, she's happy." Stewart is health-conscious, and wants attention to detail.
Detail is always part of Neylan's preparation. "A real personal, private chef cooks in their home," he said. Neylan cooks three times a week for one client. Some people may elect his services once a week. Others want help with parties; he prepared a complete meal with several courses, featuring rack of lamb, for a dinner party of 10 last week. Personalized consultations are always recommended.
"It all depends on what the client's looking for," he said. "It's a specialized market, for what I do."
Neylan submits menus, takes suggestions, and soon learns a client's preferences. "Generally, my clients are very easy going," he said. Most people "want everything fresh," so he's a frequent shopper. Clients pay for their food. "One lady wants all her food from AJ's," so he knows the store well. He'll hit the farmers markets, too. "I make the menu as I see it," he said.
Neylan wouldn't describe himself as an "affordable" personal chef. If a client is eating out at expensive restaurants every night, Neylan's service is comparable in price. "It's affordable compared to eating out at Morton's Steak House every night," Neylan said. "I tell them 'I think it's going to be about the same.'
"I am what I am," he said. "I'm fortunate enough to have enough clients," though the summer does slow down.
Neylan is "not the type to brag about myself," but people tell him the food is very good.
"I just enjoy being creative, creating a meal for somebody I can see immediately they enjoy," Neylan said. Recently, he's been making a lot of sushi, and enjoys doing so.
Neylan also offers in-home cooking classes.
Personal chef Michael Neylan offers these summer recipes.
Pecan crusted chicken tender salad with sesame-ginger dressing
1 pound chicken tenders (uniform size)
6 eggs
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
1/2 cup flour
3 T Dijon mustard
Preheat oven to 375
Put flour in one bowl
Combine pecans and panko in one bowl
Beat eggs. Add Dijon and Parmesan in another bowl
Dredge chicken a few at a time in flour first, then in egg batter, finally in pecan/panko mixture
Place on parchment paper lined baking sheet
Bake in oven 20-25 minutes, turning halfway until cooked through
Sesame-ginger dressing
3 inch piece peeled fresh ginger
1/2 cup rice vinegar
1 T sesame oil
3 T sesame seeds
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup water
In blender or food processor, mince ginger, add vinegar, sesame oil and sesame seeds. Slowly add olive oil, then water
Serve chicken over bed of baby arugula, cherry tomatoes, cucumber and shaved parmesan and toasted pecans
Drizzle with dressing
Party Time Personal Chef Service
Mike Neylan, chef
Partimepersonalchefservices.com
(520) 495-5378
