My Recipe for a Better World
THEY SAY THAT an army marches on its stomach—that soldiers can fight only as well as they have been fed. I know this to be true from my own time wearing military fatigues and carrying a gun while fulfilling my mandatory service in the Israeli army.
But I have since learned while donning a different uniform and holding a different tool—a chef’s jacket and a kitchen knife—that what is true for the battlefield is also true for the stage and the movie set. Musicians sing and play on their stomachs, while movie stars act on theirs.
It really does take a small army of people working behind the scenes to ensure that an artist or actor is at their best when they are in the spotlight or in front of the camera. And one of the most pivotal and personal roles is that played by the star’s private chef.
After all, we are responsible for ensuring the performer looks and feels their best and is well-fueled for their demanding work. Whether it’s a world concert tour or a blockbuster movie set, the success of a multi-million-dollar enterprise—and the livelihoods of countless people—depend on how well a private chef cares for their client’s tummy.
That is quite a responsibility, as you might imagine. It’s one that has taken me around the world, preparing gourmet meals alongside chefs from the finest luxury hotel kitchens—the Ritz in Paris, Claridge’s in London, and the Imperial Hotel in Beijing—to Michelin-starred restaurants.
Along the way I have spoon-fed soup to an A-List singer, served afternoon tea to world-class musicians, and orchestrated many Hollywood dinners. Those who have dined on my food include social media star Kris Jenner; actors Robert Wagner, Jack Nicholson, Scarlett Johansson; and dozens of Hollywood executives and business people whose names don’t make the gossip columns, but whose bank accounts and lifestyles rival those that do. My meals have been scarfed down in movie and television studios and savored under a starry Tuscan sky.
Because eating is such an intimate experience, I have seen celebrities in some of their most vulnerable moments, away from the bright lights. One thing I have learned about the rich and famous is that while they may have a lot more money than the rest of us, they aren’t really that different.
They have many of the same joys and struggles, good days and bad. Some have shared stories of personal hardship as they have sat and eaten one of their favorite meals, which I prepared. In such moments, I believe I had the privilege of nourishing them not only physically, but emotionally.
It has been very satisfying to play a small part in helping entertain millions by ensuring that artists and actors are able to perform at their best. But even more, I have enjoyed knowing that I have been able to personally care for people I have come to care about.
We can all do the same. You don’t need to have lots of money and the fanciest equipment to be able to help people discover health and harmony with food. Serving people food that enriches their whole person in body, mind, and spirit takes some intention and effort—and the use of a very special ingredient.
Having traveled so much with singers, I have seen the powerful way in which music can touch people deeply. I have watched artists move crowds, turning cheers into tears, somehow feeding their audiences’ emotions and souls with their melodies. At the close of a concert, many people leave feeling like they have just enjoyed a great banquet.
You don’t need to have lots of money and the fanciest equipment to be able to help people discover health and harmony with food.
Seeing this magic happen on stage night after night reminded me of how, from being young, music has always been an important part of my life, and set me on a journey of exploration. If music could touch people and if food could nourish people, I wondered, what might happen if we brought the two together more intentionally? The answer, I have discovered, is a whole other dimension.
I’ve had the opportunity to share some of what I have learned about healthy living and eating in a number of television appearances—one of which ended in a food fight live on air with the band members I was traveling with.
Now, in sharing some of my stories and experiences—and favorite recipes—with readers, I want to pass along to a wider audience some of what I have learned about how you can enjoy a more delicious life, and help those you care about do the same.
Experiencing greater health and harmony with food isn’t only personally satisfying—though it is that in good measure. I believe it also releases greater health and harmony into the wider world.
So much of the division and anger we see around us today comes from inside. When we are not happy with ourselves, we tend not to be happy with other people either. The result too often can be prejudice and hate. But when we are at peace with ourselves, we have peace to share with others.
I am not saying that eating well and helping others eat well will solve all the world’s problems, but it’s a good place to start. Here’s my recipe for helping make a better world for us all.
MARIAH CAREY’S ROASTED RED AND YELLOW PEPPER SOUP
A taste test is an important part of a celebrity’s selection process for choosing a private chef. This soup secured my place on Mariah’s Rainbow world tour.
(Serves 4)
Ingredients
YELLOW PEPPER SOUP
1 Tablespoon Virgin Olive Oil
1 Tablespoon Butter
6 Yellow Peppers
2 Tablespoons Yellow Onion (finely diced)
1 Medium Carrot (peeled and finely diced)
1 Stick Celery (finely diced)
1/2 Teaspoon Dry Thyme
Salt and Black Pepper
Pinch of Cayenne
1/4 Cup Heavy Cream (or Almond Milk)
1/2 Teaspoon Fresh Lemon Juice
1-1/2 Cups Vegetable Broth
RED PEPPER SOUP
1 Tablespoon Virgin Olive Oil
1 Tablespoon Butter
6 Red Peppers
2 Tablespoons Yellow Onion (finely diced)
1 Medium Carrot (peeled and finely diced)
1 Stick Celery (finely diced)
1/2 Teaspoon Dry Thyme
Salt and Black Pepper
Pinch of Cayenne
1/4 Cup Heavy Cream (or Almond Milk)
1/2 Teaspoon Fresh Lemon Juice
1-1/2 Cups Vegetable Broth
SERRANO CREAM
3 Fresh Serrano Chilies or Jalapeños (seeded and finely chopped)
1 Garlic Clove (minced and mashed to a paste with 1/2 teaspoon salt)
1/2 cup Crème Fraîche (or Sour Cream)
Instructions
Cooking note: Broil peppers in the oven OR for a smoky flavor cook over an open flame on gas stove-top.
1. Adjust tray in oven to 6 inches under broiler; preheat to high.
2. Arrange peppers on baking sheet.
3. Bake peppers until skin looks black; flip and continue baking until all sides are evenly black.
4. Turn off broiler and remove peppers; cover with plastic wrap for 5 minutes.
5. When peppers are cool enough to handle, remove skin and seeds from peppers (don’t wash them or they will lose their flavor!); slice into strips and put to the side, still separating the red from the yellow.
6. Heat oil and butter in 2 separate pots. Add half amount of each of the onions, carrots, celery, salt, pepper, cayenne, and thyme. Bring to a simmer for 8-10 minutes.
7. Add the red and yellow peppers separately to each of the pots and mix well. Add half amount of the vegetable broth to each pot and simmer for another 10-12 minutes.
8. Taking turns, place red and yellow peppers in blender and mix separately to a puree; cover while blending. (For a finer soup, you can put the mixture through a fine strainer. Otherwise, leave it chunky.)
9. Place blended red and yellow peppers back in their respective pots on low heat. Add the cream (or almond milk), lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste.
10. To make the serrano cream: in a blender, mix together the chilies, garlic paste, and créme fraiche until the mixture is combined well. (Be careful not to over-blend.)
To serve: Pour the yellow and red pepper soups into separate measuring cups. Simultaneously, pour 2 cups of each into a soup bowl for serving. Decorate with a dollop of serrano cream.
