Hi, I’m Justin!
My story may be little different than many cooks out there. I didn’t grow up with a culinary influence, or family member teaching me as I grew. But I do have a lot of strong “food memories” that influence my culinary loves today. Growing up, my Mom would admit she wasn’t the strongest cook, but she loved to make extravagant desserts for my brother and I, most of which I still crave to this day. My Dad passed on his love of heat, spicy peppers and the feeling of being alive as the burn set in to your taste buds and sweat beaded on your face. We’d take a weekly trip to a local diner for a slice of pie or a caramel roll the size of my head. Or for special occasions we’d indulge in a buffet where I could try EVERYTHING my stomach desired. The most special was a family trip to Southern California when I was an adolescent and experienced the most spectacular Mexican food and tacos. Pretty sure this was the start of my never-ending quest for the most authentic, delicious Mexican and Latin dishes and sauces.
As a young man out on my own, you wouldn’t have found me in the kitchen whipping up my favorites, or much of anything for that matter. But I was out with my buddies scouring the Minneapolis / St. Paul metro for the best local eats. We weren’t huge on classy restaurants but frequented all of the hole-in-the-wall bars, small local eateries, food trucks, or other street food vendors – we found the best the cities had to offer! My love for well prepared, thoughtful, and sometimes very simple food was growing with each delicious morsel I tried.
I didn’t really start trying to follow recipes or cook until I settled down with my girlfriend, now my wife. I remember she made me a pan of chicken enchiladas the day I moved in with her, they were delicious. We began talking more about cooking and recipes and food ideas, and I started experimenting in the kitchen. I can’t claim everything was a win from the beginning, but I began to focus on what I loved to eat and what I thought food tastes and textures should be. I did endless research, studied cooking techniques, authentic family recipes, and just absorbed and applied everything I was learning. Things just clicked in the kitchen and I started turning out food that my family and friends would gush over and demand I share my recipes. I felt as if I’d found my place. I’m beyond flattered my social followers have since dubbed me “The breakfast king”, “comfort food king”, and “sandwich master” based on my creations.
Fast forward to today, nearly 15 years later, I can’t believe I’m turning my passion for food into something I can share with the world. Everyone deserves amazing food, which is why I’m sharing my original recipes through my blog, and making my featured sauces and seasonings readily available for the home cook who wants to easily spice up the weekly routine.
