For many people, going to the grocery store, prepping meals and cleaning the kitchen are the kind of mundane chores they’d prefer to avoid. For Joanna Gold and her team of personal chefs, it’s all in a day’s work. 

A native of New Jersey, Gold started her business Gold Plated in 2013. She designed her in-home culinary services for busy families who wanted to enjoy delicious, nutritious meals at home – without all of the hassles that come with. As a wife and mom herself, Gold understands that sometimes people just need a little help. 

An initial consultation with new clients gives Gold a chance to assess their personal needs, including preferences, dietary restrictions and the frequency of meals they want to receive. She then pairs them with one of the professional chefs on her team, who creates a customized weekly menu. The chef handles all of the shopping, prepping, cooking and packaging, and provides a list of the items along with heating and serving instructions. The chef then takes care of all the kitchen cleanup so that clients come home to a tidy kitchen – convenient, right? 

For those who like to cook but don’t have the time, Gold Plated’s chefs can also do the shopping and prepping, leaving the refrigerator full of ready-to-go ingredients and step-by-step recipes for you to cook yourself. Even better, if you are unsure of your culinary skills, private cooking lessons are available. 

What sets Gold Plated apart from traditional private chef services is that it is truly affordable. Since the team of chefs serves several clients in the Oklahoma City area, each family can choose the number of hours they purchase, rather than hiring a full-time chef. Over time, the client and chef work together to establish preferences and favorites. Once a chef learn your routine, he or she can easily anticipate your needs on an ongoing basis, including making sure fresh and delicious snacks are on hand if needed in between meals. 

If you’ve never thought about hiring a private chef, there are many benefits to the flexibility of a shared service, and many goals they can help you accomplish. If you’re trying to cut back on the number of nights that you’re just too tired to do more than grab fast food or takeout, a private chef can help. Still wary of crowded restaurants amid reignited COVID-19 concerns? Let the chef-prepared meals come to you. When throwing a dinner party, Gold Plated can also make an impressive dinner seem effortless. 

Gold works closely with producers and vendors around town to obtain the highest quality and freshest products possible. She loves to show off local ingredients, farmers and shops. It’s a lot easier to eat locally and seasonally when you have a professional orchestrating your menu and grocery list for you. 

If you’re interested in learning more about chef Joanna Gold and her team of kitchen magicians, give her a call at 405-252-0022 and schedule a complimentary consultation.

Joanna Gold and her team at Gold Plated make the dream of healthy and delicious meals a reality for busy OKC families. 
Photos courtesy Joanna Gold

Lasagna Roll-ups 

1 lb. Ground sweet Italian sausage 
12 oz. Frozen spinach, thawed and drained (reserve liquid) 
1 lb. Baby Bellas, sliced thinly
6 garlic cloves 
15 oz. Ricotta cheese 
1 T Savory Spice Italian spices 
1 T Savory Spice roasted garlic powder
3 oz. grated Parmesan cheese
8 oz. grated mozzarella 
1 egg   
Half pint whipping cream
8 Lasagna noodles cooked al dente 
1 tsp. crushed red pepper
Salt and pepper to taste 

In one bowl, mix: 
Ricotta cheese
1 egg, scrambled
Half the mozzarella cheese
Half the grated Parmesan
Italian spices
Garlic powder and a dash of salt and pepper.  
Set aside. 

Brown the sausage and add spinach, saute together and then set aside.  
Saute the baby bellas till they are very soft, and add all the garlic and cook till fragrant.
Add whipping cream and crushed red pepper, then cook until reduced.  
To the sauce, add back half of the sausage mix and 2 tablespoons of the reserved spinach liquid. Bring to a boil and then remove from heat.  

Assembling the roll ups: 
Spread 1-2 tablespoons of ricotta mix on cooled noodles. 
Then evenly top with sausage and spinach mixture.
Slowly roll up the individual noodles and set in a pan. Repeat with the remaining ingredients.  
Dollop the sauce on each noodle, making sure to cover all the pasta.
Then top with remaining mozzarella and grated Parmesan.
Bake on 350 degrees uncovered for 20 minutes. You can prepare ahead of time or cook immediately.

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