Just out., June 16, 2006, Page 11, Image 11

JUNE 16. 2006
jUStlOUtll
northwest
Gay Chef Brings the Meals to You
Ricky Joe Cook puts all his love into the food
he cooks. Through his company, Cooks Comfort
Cuisine, he brings that love to
you and your home.
“I’ve been cooking since I
was a child, learning every­
thing from my Pennsylvania
Dutch grandmother,” said
Cook, who is blind. “My
grandma taught me that my
blindness was a small part of who 1 am and that I
am able to do anything 1 set my mind to.”
As a youngster, Cook often helped his mom in
the kitchen with making home-cooked meals for
his stepfather’s many business clients.
While attending Washington School for the
Blind in Vancouver, Cook realized he was attract­
ed to other boys and men.
He and his first partner moved to Chicago,
where Cook studied to become a dietitian. After
graduation, he worked for many years as a private
chef and caregiver for seniors, diabetics and clients
with AIDS.
After Cook returned to Portland, he began
researching the personal chef industry. “The chefs
at Personal Chefs Network were always there first
to answer any questions I had, whereas the other
associations basically ignored me when they found
out that I not only was gay but that I was blind.”
Together with sous-chef and partner Doug
Cameron, Cooks Comfort Cuisine will plan a cus­
tomized menu and e-mail to you it for your
approval. They’ll shop for the groceries, buying the
freshest ingredients available and choosing organ­
ics whenever possible, and bring them to your
home with the tools of the
trade. They’ll prepare the
entrees, side dishes, salads and
breads, then package each meal
according to your needs (in sin­
gle servings, servings for couples
or in family-style portions of
four to six servings).
With your custom-made menu and directions'"
for heating and serving in your hands, you’ll have a
clean kitchen and the aroma of a day of cooking
left for you to enjoy! They also do cocktail and
dinner parties, holiday dinners and romantic din­
ners and massages for two.
“1 really love to cook homestyle comfort meals
and many ethnic dishes. 1 specialize in
Pennsylvania Dutch, Amish and Southern cuisine.
The main thing is that I cook the comfort foods my
clients enjoy and 1 serve them family-style.”
business
watch
Cleanliness Is Next to Godliness,
Which Is in Sellwood
1 knew it would be hard to describe GR Scrub, a
new boutique in Sellwood, when I learned that it
specializes in fine cleaning tools and apparatuses for
the home. Glenn Recchia, the gay proprietor and
cleaning gum behind GR Scrub, opened the store in
March at Old Sellwood Square, 8235 S.E. 13th Ave.
When you approach the store, you see a big
window display that reads, “Come see what we’re
Glenn Recchia keeps Sellwood clean at GR Scrub.
about—think neat and clean.” This is not just a
motto for the cleaning-obsessed. Everything at GR
Scrub, from the tough brushes and unique dusters
to the cool gadgets and vintage collectibles, would
motivate even the biggest slob.
“I tried to combine my love of cleaning with my
retail experience,” says Recchia. “I can give people
good advice, and I try to sell sturdy products from
small commercial as well as private nontraditional
sources.”
In addition to lemon-verbena and lavender,
Recchia promotes earth-friendly products that are
also people-friendly. “1 have a good choice of
products for chemically sensitive people. Plus I’m
an owner who has used and can guarantee the
products.”
A growing book section and a fun ladybug­
laden kids’ section round out a store that prizes
kitsch and whimsy as well as cleanliness. From
hardware and liquid cleaners to linens and
stationary, GR Scrub offers a great deal in a small
space.
“1 hope it will become a destination store," says
Recchia. When you combine a funky new shop
with a proprietor who has the old-fashioned values
of knowing and caring about customers, you’re
bound to have a success. Check out what it means
to be clean from noon to 5 p.m. Tuesdays, 11 a.m.
to 5 p.m. Wednesdays through Saturdays and noon
to 4 p.m. Sundays.
Continued on Page 12
Let Celia and Terri make
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