{"id":149821,"date":"2022-11-10T18:15:09","date_gmt":"2022-11-10T23:15:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/news\/?p=149821"},"modified":"2023-01-25T15:33:44","modified_gmt":"2023-01-25T20:33:44","slug":"life-after-bates-groceries-and-shopping-with-bates-dinings-executive-chef-owen-keene","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bates.edu\/news\/2022\/11\/10\/life-after-bates-groceries-and-shopping-with-bates-dinings-executive-chef-owen-keene\/","title":{"rendered":"Real-world kitchen and food tips from Bates Dining’s executive chef"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

While most students were getting their lunches in the dining area in Commons, others made their way upstairs to watch Dining Services\u2019 executive chef, Owen Keene, flip some omelets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Keene was giving a cooking demo as part of the \u201cLife After Bates\u201d series from the Center for Purposeful Work and the Office for Intercultural Education. He used his kitchen and grocery-store prowess to impart some wisdom on students in the hopes that their post-grad lives will be a little less daunting, and a little more delicious.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Bates Dining’s executive chef Owen Keene flips a veggie and cheese omelet as part of the cooking demo. (Phyllis Graber Jensen\/Bates College)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Keene showed students how to make a veggie omelet, a vegetable soup, and a roasted vegetable and chicken pasta salad, all made from a small selection of ingredients.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI just thought of the things I make at home \u2014 I didn\u2019t want to get too technical,\u201d says Keene. The recipes are adaptable too, he says, since different vegetables and combinations can be used for all three dishes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Encouraging students to incorporate more fresh produce into their cooking is important, he says, but it can be new territory for a lot of them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cA lot of people grow up thinking they don\u2019t like vegetables, because they haven\u2019t been cooked right,\u201d says Keene, as he shares another nugget of wisdom: a little seasoning can go a long way, whether it\u2019s a pinch of salt, a handful of parsley, or a splash of vinegar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Keene explains the layout of a typical supermarket: the fresh foods are usually on the outskirts of the store, while the packaged and processed foods are in the middle. (Phyllis Graber Jensen\/Bates College)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The first step is getting the ingredients, and while life experience can reveal some of the secrets of good shopping, a crash course can certainly help. Keene\u2019s most important rule of thumb? \u201cDon\u2019t go shopping on an empty stomach,\u201d he laughs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Growing up, Gabrielle Brewer \u201923 of New Britain, Conn., learned how to cook with her mother, a caterer. But after living alone during an internship last summer, she realized that grocery shopping was a whole new challenge. \u201cI\u2019d be shopping for one person, and then cook too much, and it would just get out of hand,\u201d she said. Now, she\u2019s thinking a lot about next year. \u201cHaving to live in an apartment and cook for myself, it\u2019s always good to get a few tips.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When it comes to shopping, Keene told the students that making a list \u2014 and sticking to it \u2014 can help keep you organized and on-budget. When it comes to putting produce on your list, it\u2019s cheaper to buy in-season fruits and veggies. (The USDA puts out a handy guide on this topic<\/a>.) Following the seasons also brings variety to the table, on top of being an opportunity to support local farmers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Phyllis
From left, Gabrielle Brewer \u201923 of New Britain, Conn., Benjamin Conner \u201922, Jessica Kissi \u201923 of Chicago, Sokona Mangane \u201923 of Brooklyn, N.Y., and Ayano Nakamura \u201923 of Madrid, Spain watch carefully as Keene prepares roasted chicken and vegetables for a pasta salad. (Phyllis Graber Jensen\/Bates College)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

But buying more fresh food comes with other concerns. \u201cUse-by\u201d dates, the impending wilting of leafy greens, and meat freshness are all factors in the mix, and Keene suggests getting a little more picky, and making grocery trips a little more frequent, especially if something like fish is on the menu, which is best bought day-of or day before.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other students \u2014 and a recently graduated alumnus \u2014 came to Keene\u2019s demonstration hoping to glean some new recipe ideas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Helena Raddock \u201924 of Warren, Vt., says she\u2019s \u201cnot a soup girl,\u201d like some of her roommates, but the omelet and veggie pasta are good items to add to her repertoire. \u201cI only know how to make spaghetti and meat sauce, and rice,\u201d says Raddock. \u201cSo I think it\u2019s time to up my game.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Recent graduate Ben Conner \u201922 is now on the staff of the Center for Purposeful Work, and he was eager to attend the demo after doing the promotions for the event. \u201cI can cook the same staple meal every day,\u201d he says. \u201cBut, making the same pasta, broccoli, and chicken, five days a week can get a little bit old.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With a few new recipes in their back pockets, and a few tips on stocking and using a kitchen, those who attended are a little more ready to tackle the post-grad life. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Keene displays two important tools for every kitchen: a paring knife (left) and a chef’s knife. (Phyllis Graber Jensen\/Bates College)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Here are some of the top tips and tricks he shared:<\/p>\n\n\n\n