Speaking to Chef Lauren about her philosophy on food is rousing to say the least.  As we talked I felt some indeterminate fog being lifted above my head which I now attribute to the clarity and resolve in her voice and ideas. The personal chef and owner of Meal Thymes (which serves St. Louis, St. Charles, Franklin and Warren counties) spat fiery passion about her love of using only the freshest and most natural ingredients to fuel her cooking.

"You'll never see me open a can of cream of mushroom soup and pour it over some chicken", she states, going on to add that the amount of sodium contained in a product like that is not only destroying our palates but, by pure virtue of its unhealthiness, destroying ourselves as well.

A career changer, Lauren decided to follow her dream of producing not only delicious, healthy meals but taking on the role of educator to others.  She is an active volunteer for Operation Food Search, a St. Louis area food bank dedicated to fighting hunger for low income families or those in need.  Her goal in cooking for her clients is to assist them in becoming more connected to their families and loved ones by eliminating the stress of meal planning, food shopping and other responsibilities.  She feels her role as a chef is to help reintroduce real food to people, allowing them to appreciate and learn about it by presenting her dishes in a wonderful and elaborate fashion.

"It's about making people happy", she muses.  "It's also about the quality of ingredients.  I do this because I love to cook."

Chef Lauren has the ability to create anything from a romantic dinner for two to a nice dinner party for forty to fifty people, all the while cooking only what's in season and what's available to her; and she does it with style.  Her service includes, though is not limited to, places and events in and around Lake Saint Louis and she is always open to expanding her repertoire.  Also a well-versed professional in food and wine pairings, Lauren is currently embarking on the arduous road to becoming a certified sommelier, an achievement I have no doubt she will attain.

Did I mention Lauren teaches cooking classes to the public?  When asked what people can expect from participating she replies, "The classes are very approachable and are open to beginners and advanced cooks.  The main point of them is to bring people back to the table".

The entrepreneur hopes that in the future she will be able to continue to make a difference by having more time to speak to and educate people about what it means to cook, serve and eat unprocessed food on a daily basis.  Her goal is to instill in people a desire to learn more.

Chef Lauren's next cooking class is scheduled for Monday, January 24and will be a couples cooking class, though as always, everyone is welcome.  To learn more or to find out more information about private in home cooking or other culinary needs visit www.mealthymes.com or call 636-346-7710.