Food for the Body and Mind
As an only child growing up in the suburbs of Columbia, Maryland, life could get boring. Fast. The day-to-day routine was as uninspiring and tasteless as the white bread and processed meats on my school cafeteria lunches. Thankfully, I had creative parents who cooked and fed me nutritious meals, teaching me the relationship between food and well-being that is at the heart of my work today. Even at an early age I found solace and inspiration in the kitchen, the center of my home, where I felt included during family gatherings, participating in rituals that nourished and delighted. My first culinary attempts were tiny omelet sandwiches topped with slices of local tomato; before long, I was rolling out culinary concoctions to my parents for approval. After graduating from the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) in Hyde Park, NY, I headed west and haven't looked back, first to the bustling professional kitchens of San Diego's restaurant scene, and then the discerning gastronomic world of San Francisco. In my 30 years of experience as a professional cook and private chef, I have developed a love for food that is based on nutrition, mindfulness, and spirituality that has dramatically influenced my well-being. I incorporate locally sourced produce and ingredients that are consistent with my values of honesty and integrity into my cooking. That means NO cans, no boxes, no processed foods.
I can’t wait to bring my love of cooking into your kitchen and craft meals that enhance your life and well-being to the fullest.
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Bon Appétit,
Chef T'ai
Ned, San Francisco
"Having Chef Tai cook weekly for our family has been wonderful. He takes away all the stress of meal planning, grocery shopping, cleaning and cooking! On top of that, the meals we are eating have more variety while also being healthier and incorporating our families' dietary needs/preferences. Another big side-benefit of Chef Tai's cooking is our monthly Doordash expense has plummeted!"
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Jen, Pennisula
"We have a very busy, very picky set of family dynamics, with two competitive athletes, a vegetarian, and me, who is just trying desperately to eat better with my busy work schedule...T'ai has been incredibly flexible, the kitchen is always left immaculate, and most importantly, the food! It is the highlight of my week to see all of our meals stacked in the fridge every Wednesday. I know that I’m eating better, more whole foods and I can feel it in my energy levels."
Greg, San Francisco
"I am writing to recommend Chef T’ai Rubens for any role as a Private Chef. He provided a Personal Chef service for our family in 2021 and 2022 doing in-home meal prep as well as a four-course birthday dinner for my wife and 12 of her guests.
I found Chef T’ai to be very professional, always on time, and very passionate about food and providing excellent service. His love of cooking showed in every meal he cooked for us and was willing to accommodate any special requests that came up. Any family lucky enough to have Chef T’ai will find him a delight to work with and passionate about providing excellent service."