Mary Ellen Powers is a self-taught cook with 20 plus years in the food service business. Mary Ellen began catering small parties in 1983, which inspired her to develop a more sophisticated palate and culinary repertoire. By reading such respected industry textbooks as "Professional Cooking" by Wayne Gisslen and "La Technique" by Jacques Pepin, Mary Ellen quickly accomplished understanding and practice of food science, and she continued to expand her proficiency in the kitchen while also developing creatively.
In 1993 she founded Artisan Catering and contracted to provide seasonal catering services (Christmas and holiday parties) for the next 10 years. From this experience, Mary Ellen designed and developed a course on entertaining, "How to Throw An Elegant Cocktail Party on a Budget," which she taught at the Boston Center for Adult Education until 2004.
Mary Ellen's cooking philosophy can best be described as artful, fresh, whole foods that she combines to create meals that appeal to the senses and are made with love and care for the ingredients that come from sources as close to home as possible. Through her membership in the American Personal Chef Association, Mary Ellen networks with other culinary professionals, takes advantage of ongoing training and awareness of culinary and dietary trends and believes in the association's stated mission to bring families back to the dinner table (a concept that Executive Director Candy Wallace describes as "knees under the table").
Mary Ellen and her husband Jeb live in Somerville and on the weekends try to fit in fine dining, some rock and roll (hopefully British) and a few games of cribbage. Sunday night at the Powers household is always 'Family Dinner' night when many of their friends meet as willing guinea pigs to begin the week with one of Mary Ellen's latest (and usually delicious) experiments.
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