Chef Andre

Who does Kathy Ireland turn to when she needs help in food, entertainment and culture?  ACafe by Chef Andre,  is Kathy’s solution! This dynamic brand along with Landscape Designer Nicholas Walker who cultivates Jardin du Jour the outdoor living specialist of KIWW and the Quilts of Gee’s Bend are brand ambassadors who support Kathy in her mission of “…finding solutions for families especially busy moms.”  ™

When Lifestyle Designer Kathy Ireland saw a need for simple and nutritious home cooking ideas for families, she asked her good friend Chef André to partner with her to bring culinary solutions to families. Together they developed the ACafe Brand, a place where everyone can learn and communicate about cooking and entertaining. The ACafe Brand is about food, family and fun! ….and fun means culture and entertainment. 
ACafe “… where you always know what’s cooking!” 

Chef André has studied under the tutelage of culinary masters such as Jean Francois Meteigner, famous for his tenure at L'Orangerie, Chef Suki at The Beverly Hills Hotel, Chef Gary Clausen at the Bel Air Hotel for the exclusive Table One, he has shared the television stage with Master Chef Dean Fearing of The Mansion on Turtle Creek and the incredible Chef Christopher Strong, from The Cafe, The Lodge at Rancho Mirage California. Chef Chris was the winner of the 4 Star 4 Diamond Award and continues to serves as director of hospitality for ACafe. With his awareness of nutrition, André brings to the table his enjoyment of food exploration.

With Kathy Ireland being CEO and Chief Designer for Kathy Ireland Worldwide, she and Chef André worked to develop products to support this goal. ACafe Brand products range from Rugs, Furniture, Top of Bed, Accessories, Lighting, Wall Art, Table Top, Jewelry, Skincare, and Candles, which have received one of the brands many Good Housekeeping Seals of Approval. 


Chef Andre and Landscape Designer Nicholas Walker serve as 
Kathy Ireland Worldwide Ambassadors with appearances on television and radio. Co-hosted an afternoon on “Serves You Right” radio with Steve Valentino, and appeared with Kathy on the popular television program Soap Talk. Chef Andre has also appeared on Sunday Dinner, Acce ss Hollywood, T aste of Southwest w/ Chef Dean Fearing, Co- hosted The California Poultry Federation and Foster Farms sponsored National Chicken Cooking Contest, was invited to be a guest chef at the nation’s largest Father's Day event, Real Men Cook. He has also been a contributor toAmateur Chef Magazine, and Women’s Magazine-Santa Barbara. 

Of his many duties for Kathy Ireland Worldwide his most prestigious would be when asked by Kathy  to do an event to honor her dear friend Dame Elizabeth Taylor. It was Chef Andre’s great privilege to plan Dame Elizabeth Taylor’s 74th Birthday Celebration at the Beverly Hills Hotel and work with her children to help plan her 75th Diamond Jubilee at the Ritz Carlton / Lake  Las Vegas.

Recipes by Chef Andre

Grilled Cumin Pork Chops

4 thick cut pork chops 
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, or to taste 
1/2 teaspoon salt 
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, or to taste 
1 teaspoon ground cumin

Combine cumin, garlic powder, salt, and pepper together in a small bowl. Place the olive oil in a small bowl. Brush the pork chops with oil, and season both sides evenly with cumin mixture.

Place pork loin chops on the preheated grill. Cook until lightly browned and juices run clear, about 4 minutes on each side. Place pork chops on serving plates.

Serves 4

Blue Cheese Grits

1 cup cream

2 cups milk

¾ cups (*quick) grits

¾ cup blue cheese, crumbled

Place cream, milk and ½ blue cheese in a medium saucepan and carefully bring to boil; slowly stir in grits.

Cover pan; reduce heat to low, Cook, stirring occasionally for 5 to 6 minutes.

Serves 4

I know no self respecting Southerner let-alone a chef would ever use quick grits, but in Kathy Ireland’s mission of 
“…finding solutions for families, especially busy moms” ™ we wanted to make this quick and easy for busy moms.

Apple Brandy Chutney

1 cup apple cider vinegar

½ cup orange juice
2 cups sugar

1 ½ cups (packed) golden raisins (soaked in apple brandy) optional

1 1/2 pounds tart green apples (such as Granny Smith), peeled, cored, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
1 medium onion, cut into 1- inch pieces
1 tbsp mustard seeds
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

Bring vinegar, oj and sugar to boil in heavy large nonaluminum saucepan, stirring until sugar dissolves. Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes. Remove from heat.

Toss apples, raisin (with brandy) and chopped onion in large bowl. Add mustard seeds, ginger, and cloves, combine well. Add apple mixture to vinegar mixture. Simmer until apples are tender and chutney thickens, stirring occasionally, about 45 minutes. Place in bowl. Cool. Cover; chill. (Can be made 1 week ahead. Keep chilled.)

Serves 4-6

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