Chef Michael Bowen

MICHAEL BOWEN, Executive Chef, Fresh Dining

Fresh Dining Executive Chef Michael Bowen has built a career as not only a chef to the stars, but as a celebrity in his own right, having been the Corporate Chef of Eurest Dining Services, one of Hollywood’s most sought-after catering companies and a division of the Compass Group of North America, the largest food management company in the world. For this accomplished chef, creating the meals for Fresh Dining is an exciting and creative challenge, as he understands the quality and service that celebrities want.

 

“People often think of the food that Hollywood eats as incredibly decadent and luxurious. In reality, it’s wholesome, nutritious, and un- processed, expertly prepared with fresh ingredients. Fresh Dining allows people to eat like they’re in a gourmet restaurant every day, minus a rich sauce here or there,” he says.

 

Satisfying Fresh clients with five meals per day, without once repeating a menu item within 90 days, is a worthy challenge for Michael, and he couldn’t be happier to do it. “We want it to be the best day of meals possible from the moment each client opens his or her box of food, and every day we have a whole new set of possibilities,” he says.

 

An added challenge is the special needs and requests that must be taken care of with every meal. From diabetics to people who just don’t like black pepper, Chef Michael estimates that half of his staff works specifically on special requests.

 

Prior to his work at Compass, Michael was the Executive Banquet Chef at the Hotel Bel-Air, and worked as a personal chef to the likes of Bruce Springsteen and the King of Saudi Arabia. He says his work at the Hotel Bel-Air, which afforded an unlimited food budget to experiment with the finest and most unique ingredients in the world, best prepared him for his work at Fresh Dining. “My heart’s in this,” he says. “I want to people to know that food can be wonderful and healthy at the same time. Why should a diet keep you from one of the greatest pleasures in life— eating?”

Recipes by Chef Michael Bowen

FRESH DINING Grilled Free Range Chicken Breast with Orange and Edamame Salad Chef Michael Bowen, Fresh Dining Serves 4 4 4oz free range chicken breasts – fat trimmed 1 10-12 oz package of frozen shelled edamame 3 T canola oil 2 medium navel oranges – peeled and sliced ½ c red onions – thinly sliced ¼ c bell peppers – seeded and diced 2 t low sodium soy sauce ¼ c freshly squeezed orange juice ½ c cilantro – chopped + a few sprigs for garnish 3 T rice vinegar 1 t orange peel – grated 1 t ginger – grated ½ t fish sauce (available in the Asian section of most large grocery stores) To marinate chicken breasts: In a medium bowl, whisk 1T Canola oil, ½ t orange zest, ½ t ginger, 1 t soy sauce and orange juice. Place the chicken in the bowl making sure each piece is covered in the marinade, cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour. Remove from refrigerator and place chicken on a hot grill until charred or sear chicken in a large hot non- stick sauté pan and finish cooking in a preheated 350 degree oven until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat, slice and set aside. Fill a large saucepan with enough water to cover edamame beans, about 4 cups. Bring to a boil and add edamame. Boil for one minute, drain and shock by dropping into a bowl of ice water. Drain when cool, dry with a paper towel and set aside. For dressing: In a small bowl, whisk the rice vinegar, soy sauce, chopped cilantro, fish sauce, along with the remainder of the canola oil, grated ginger and orange zest until well blended. In a large bowl, combine the edamame, sliced red onion, diced bell pepper and orange slices. Pour the dressing over the edamame mixture, toss well. To plate: Spoon bean salad in the center of the plate. Place the sliced chicken on top and garnish with cilantro sprigs. Nutritional Information: (total/per serving) Total Calories: 1246 / 311 Total Fat: 63 g / 15.7 grams Sat Fat: 6 g / 1.5 grams Poly Fat: 22 g / 5.5 grams Mono Sat: 27 g / 6.7 grams Chol: 94.4 mg/ 23.6 mg Protein: 75 g/ 18.7 grams

Today's Featured Chef  ||  Today's Featured Chef Recipes  ||  Featured Chef Archive