If you have a craving for a tasty, home cooked meal, Deb McKeen has the means to satisfy you.
The owner, operator of a new custom catering and cooking operation based out of Theodore, McKeen's love of the culinary arts has turned into a growing and successful business she calls Cuisine Queen.
In addition to offering complete catering services, Cuisine Queen has a full menu that offers a wide variety of tasty and healthy meals all professionally prepared to the customer's satisfaction. Each order is made by hand and delivered fresh or frozen complete with reheating instructions.
"I really started cooking at a young age. I learned from my grandmother and from my mother. I've always loved cooking but a few years ago I started running the concession at the (Theodore) rink and I didn't hate going to work everyday," says McKeen.
"I think that's when I discovered - 'hey I should do this for a living'!"
She still runs the rink concession stand and also acts as the village's part time librarian but now McKeen's big focus is on growing her own business and sharing her talent with others.
"I have cooked in a couple of restaurants but mostly I'm self taught. I have about 400 cookbooks that I read like other people read fiction! I get a lot of inspiration from them. But my love of food and cooking definitely came from my grandmother and my mother!
"I think what really made me decide to get into this is the fact my grandparents are elderly now, I like to cook for them and take them frozen dishes so they can have them whenever they want... and also my daughter who has a young family, four kids, both parents working. I started doing some cooking for her also and then I thought, geez this could be a really good idea to have business based on that concept."
Since the launch of Cuisine Queen last March, McKeen says she has been taking on catering jobs and getting her name out there, progressively getting busier.
"People are starting to know who I am and I'm now branching out into Yorkton."
All her ingredients are fresh with no preservatives and cooked in a commercial cooking space she rents in Theodore. McKeen is also fully certified with the Board of Health.
"There's two parts to the business... one is the personal chef side and the other is catering."
As a personal chef McKeen consults with her customer and custom prepares meals made for delivery - fresh or frozen.
With a menu available online she also says, "I will make things according to their specifications... if they want low, fat, low carb, whatever they want I can make it...
"I talk to them, we figure out what they want and then I make it. Most of the times I deliver things frozen - cooked and frozen - and then I deliver them with reheating instructions. It's super easy for someone who is really busy, people who are recovering from an illness, new parents, the elderly... for any busy people this is awesome."
Fresh is another option also. Some people choose to have a two days supply of fresh meals delivered and then frozen meals in the freezer for the balance of the week she says.
Meals can also be prepared for special occasions or pertaining to any theme - for two people or 22, or more. McKeen says she has a special Valentine's Day menu planned for delivery that will not disappoint. She will also deliver and cater to local business needs as well.
No job is too big or too small as far as she's concerned. When it comes to catering she says she will even work with the customer to provide exactly the menu they are looking for and not just the typical catered menu. It doesn't have to be a complete meal either. McKeen will make appetizers for parties or sweet trays for other occasions. If you think it up, she says she will accommodate you.
"I've done weddings with about 250 people... I can pretty much accommodate anything."
In the future she hopes to expand her business and to reach out to as many customers as she can.
"This is what I love to do... I absolutely love cooking, I love cooking for people and I love it when people love the food and I think this is so unique..."
Anyone interested in Cuisine Queen can learn more by visiting: www.cuisinequeen.ca, by calling McKeen at (306) 647-2288 or emailing: [email protected] for details.
