Welcome to Chef Sous Chef
Inspired by the belief that there’s no better experience than a home-cooked meal, Chef Sous Chef encourages a love of being in the kitchen through made-from-scratch recipes and mindful moments that bring the dining out experience in.
With dishes perfect for everyday eating and entertaining, Canadian husband and wife food bloggers, Philip and Mystique celebrate the connections they both have with food. Their recipes are a reflection of their life together in the kitchen—how they eat, what they eat and why they eat—and tells the stories of them as people through their lifestyle and cultures.
Our Love Story
I can vividly remember the first time Philip cooked for me. It was our fourth date and I can vividly remember him in the kitchen. With a natural confidence, he knew where every tool and ingredient lived. I remember the way he cradled his knife, fingertips always tucked under. I remember the way he danced his way around the kitchen, tasting each component with a spoon, seasoning the dish with cracked black pepper, and the vigorous way he stirred the rice as it formed a creamy risotto. A labor of love, he called it. And from that fourth date on, it was love.
As our relationship grew, I found my place alongside Philip in the kitchen. At first, I helped with little things like gathering ingredients, dressing the table and tending to dishes. I gained the title of designated stirrer, and later worked my way up to sous chef.
It’s in the kitchen that our love story began: slowing down and learning from one another, trying new experiences together and embracing the trials and errors of cooking. Cooking is our way of expressing creativity by transforming ordinary occasions into extraordinary experiences. And so, a few days after we got married, taking from Mystique’s existing kitchen name, Philip gained his chef title and together we launched, Chef Sous Chef.
A Little About Us
Meet Philip
Growing up in the small town of Elora, Ontario, Philip and his five siblings were always surrounded by food. The kitchen was always at the centre of his life, working in restaurants and later traveling to Europe for three months, where his true love of simple ingredients and techniques helped focus his cooking style.
As the first half of Chef Sous Chef and our CFO (Chief Food Officer), recipe development is where Philip is best recognized. Drawing on his experience as an eater and a cook, he is inspired by dining out, experimenting with ingredient pairings and watching culinary television series like Top Chef.
As Oscar Wilde said, 'everything in moderation... including moderation.'" - Philip
Meet Mystique
A true city girl at heart, Mystique's role of sous chef includes refined skills like stirring with one hand while holding a glass of wine in the other—a signature move she is quite well known for. But where she truly shines extends beyond the kitchen.
As the food stylist, the photographer, the voice, and the one who makes everything beautiful, she has channeled her love of art and writing into a space that encourages endless creativity. Curating a distinct visual brand through her editing style and well recognized mis-en-place, Mystique is the voice behind the blog.
If you can't cook, you better know how to build a beautiful board. " - Mystique
