Private Chef Katie Hartman

I'm a vegan and vegetarian chef with over 22 years of professional experience. I started cooking part time in college, and I quickly discovered that's where I wanted to be. I cooked in vegetarian restaurants in Champaign IL, Chicago, California and New Zealand, and in 2011 I managed to get my foot in the door at the Joshua Tree Retreat Center. Over the next two years, I worked under about a dozen different contracted catering chefs, taking the best from each. In 2014 I began contracting events myself. Since then I've catered retreats in Joshua Tree, Malibu, Sedona, Cochise County AZ, and the Berkshires, except for this crazy, super long dream where everyone was wearing masks and I owned a vegan, take out only restaurant... it was weird.

For me, cooking is...

My preferred form of communication.

I learned to cook at...

My mom was vegetarian with a Sicilian background, and she and my grandmothers were my first teachers. Later I learned on the job, especially catering

A cooking secret...

Heat control- knowing when to go low and slow vs fast and furious is my secret to creating balance between grandma coziness and a clean modern edge.

My menus

Plant Based Mexican

STARTER

Choose 1 dish

Creamy tortilla soup with fresh avocado, crispy tortilla strips + quesadilla

Grilled elote with crema, queso fresco, chili powder, lime juice and hot honey

Chili rellano with ranchero sauce

Grilled romaine with pico de gallo, avocado crema and crispy tortilla strips

FIRST COURSE

Choose 1 dish

Jackfruit al pastor tacos on organic corn tortillas with pico de gallo, grilled pineapple and cashew cream

Grilled eggplant black bean tostada with pico de gallo, basil cashew cream, guacamole and roasted jalapeño

Potato tacos on fried flour tortillas with tempeh chorizo, pico de gallo, roasted garlic crema and pepper jack

Tofu asada tacos with tomatillo avocado salsa, cashew cream, pickled onion and fresh cabbage

MAIN COURSE

Choose 1 dish

Sweet potato chocolate mole enchiladas, achiote roasted carrots with citrus habanero pickled onion and mango salsa, slow baked pinto beans and Spanish rice

Blackberry mole on fresh corn amaranth tamale, green beans with garlic and fresh tomato, roasted delicata squash with cinnamon chipotle butter

Heirloom masa sope with battered oyster mushrooms, black beans, pumpkin seed mole verde, pico de gallo, guacamole, spring mix, fresh radishes, cabbage, beets and lime dijon vinaigrette

Red chili jackfruit tamales with potato and jalapeño stuffed green olives, slow cooked pinto beans, Spanish rice, pico de gallo, cashew cream and sauteed chard

DESSERT

Choose 1 dish

Mexican chocolate cake with chocolate almond ganache

Mexican wedding cookies and other assorted cookies

Grilled peach cornbread shortcake

Plant based international shuttle

STARTER

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Cantaloupe chaat - ice cold local melon with sweet and spicy coconut chips, peanuts, jalapeño, mint, tart mango powder and hot honey

Shawarma roasted chickpea shots with mango, grapes, dried fruit, fresh herbs, red peppers, carrots, celery and yellow curry vinaigrette

Gobi Manchurian - crispy batter fried cauliflower with bell peppers, red onion and a sweet and spicy sauce with homemade chili crisp, black vinegar and organic soy

FIRST COURSE

Choose 1 dish

Zucchini kofta - Indian spiced zucchini fritters in tomato masala sauce with fresh baked garlic naan

Thai corn fritters - local corn with red curry paste, Thai basil and shredded lime leaves, with peanut sauce and plum sweet chili

Mini tikka masala pizza with choice of toppings - paneer, tofu, mushrooms, bell peppers, mozzarella, raita, zucchini, jalapeños, cilantro

MAIN COURSE

Choose 1 dish

Jollof rice plate with suya spice grilled tofu, fried plantains, grilled veggies and pepper sauce

Panang plant chicken and waffles with charred green beans, sweet potato fries, ginger pickled carrots and plum sweet chili

Quinoa burger plate with ginger mashed sweet potatoes, fennel apple chutney, chive cashew cream, green beans with garlic and ginger, jalapeño cheddar rolls, umeboshi pickled cabbage, toasted walnuts and baby spinach

DESSERT

Choose 1 dish

Chocolate olive oil cake with orange chocolate almond ganache

Assorted vegan cookies

Grilled peach cornbread shortcake

Eastern Med Fresh

STARTER

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Golden fried cauliflower on hummus with fresh baked pita bread

Muhammara with hot honey roasted carrots and preserved lemon focaccia

Black lentil lahmacun with tomato, cucumber, fresh mint, sumac pickled onion, cabbage and spring mix

FIRST COURSE

Choose 1 dish

Imam bayildi (Turkish stuffed eggplant)

Halal cart style roasted chickpeas and turmeric rice with harissa and lemon tahini

Falafel platter with fresh baked pita, hummus or baba ganoush, lemon tahini, homemade pickles, kalamata olives, grilled eggplant, spring mix, tomato

MAIN COURSE

Choose 1 dish

Spanakopita with Greek roasted potatoes and Mediterranean braised green beans

Spinach pecan cakes with beet cherry chutney, lemon garlic roasted potatoes, cauliflower giant white bean salad

Oyster mushroom shawarma platter with hummus or baba ganoush, fresh baked pita, batata harra, lemon tahini, homemade pickles, kalamata olives, spring mix, fresh tomato

DESSERT

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Rosemary, olive oil and chocolate chip cake

Chocolate chunk pistachio cookies and double chocolate spice cookies

Baklava

Italian Multi Course Date Night

STARTER

Choose 1 dish

Caponata and tomato basil bruschetta

Caprese salad with farmers market tomatoes and fresh baked focaccia

Oyster mushroom fritti with diablo sauce and lemon wedges

FIRST COURSE