Because most people lead such fast-paced lives, many things they know they should do tend to fall by the wayside. Chef Kristopher Plummer, “Plum” to just about everyone who knows him, doesn’t believe that eating delicious, healthful food needs to be one of them.

 The Newtown-based foodie laments that most people eat more than half their meals on the go. With his new business, Plum Luv Foods, Plummer hopes to help change that trend—and the eating habits of his clients. The former personal chef wants to introduce people to a healthier way of eating by having his creative menus become the highlight of their day.

With a mind toward nutrition and local ingredients, Plum can make just about anything a client wants to eat. His custom menus run the gamut from teriyaki- and pineapple-marinated flank steak with sweet potato frites to eggplant and cream cheese lasagna with lemon broccoli rabe. His after-dinner treats include a heart-healthy version of flourless chocolate cake, baklava, and fig and pistachio biscotti.

“I put an emphasis on portion control. So many times you get a plate of food in a restaurant, and it looks like a buffet platter. It’s not so much that the food is bad for you; it’s just that there is enough of it to feed a small foreign country. People become used to that. I think if we can get a handle on portions, as a whole, people will feel better,” he said.

The chef is delighted to work with any dietary restrictions or preferences clients throw his way. “It doesn’t sound fun, but it’s actually a good time figuring out something delicious that people with allergies or restrictions can eat,” he said enthusiastically. “I like helping people,” he said, recounting the simple joy he felt watching the young, allergy-prone child of a client enjoy chocolate cake for the first time baked from a recipe Plum had devised that avoided allergens.

The Culinary Institute of America-trained chef has more than 12 years of experience and has worked in kitchens ranging from that of a five-star hotel’s dining room, to a high-end catering service, to the private kitchen of a wealthy family in Weston.
Whether your goal is to lose weight, eat more healthfully, go organic, lower cholesterol, or save time, Plum can take on the challenge.

He also caters events for up to 80 people and can cook meals for families or individuals in their homes or through his delivery service, which serves Fairfield County, parts of New York, and beyond.

“Plum helped my family get on a plan of eating healthier without sacrificing taste. Not only does he prepare simple, delicious meals for every day, but he can also wow everyone at a fancy dinner party. Plum also manages to juggle everyone’s personal preferences and nutritional needs with the most accommodating attitude. I am always on a diet (in theory), my daughter hates vegetables, and my son has severe allergies to dairy, soy, and fish, among others. My other son and husband have their own ideas of what they want. We all want different snacks . . . the list goes on,” said former client Tracy Collins of the chef’s abilities.

Other dishes in the chef’s ever-changing repertoire include parmesan and cracker-crusted sea bass with balsamic-glazed wilted spinach; honey and Dijon roast pork tenderloin with au gratin potatoes; slow-roasted chicken mole with tortillas and salsa Spanish rice; ahi tuna with green tea soy broth and lightly steamed asparagus; broiled salmon with cucumber lemon grass salsa with coconut black rice; citrus-crusted chicken with ponzu sauce served with pineapple cilantro coleslaw; turkey breast medallions and lime sauce served with parsnip puree; blackened tofu with Creole sauce served with brown rice. “I focus on spa-style, Canyon Ranch-inspired food. It’s healthy but that doesn’t mean it has to taste bad. Even ingredients like butter aren’t bad—just don’t eat a whole stick of it,” he said of his food philosophy.

About the original name of his business, he said it came from the nickname he was given at a Virginia restaurant he once worked in. Though he’s always been called Plum, the kitchen staff in that establishment added the Luv and it stuck. He thought it especially fitting for this business, since he tries to infuse love into all of the small-batch creations he makes for his clients. “You can’t make food and be angry,” he said. “To make good food, you have to love the food and put good energy into it,” he said, recalling a dark time a few years ago when he was working 80-hour weeks in a stressful hotel kitchen and not following his own advice. “It was monotonous and it got old,” he said. These days his mantra is “No boundaries. If you can really put your heart and soul into it, you get to the point where it just happens, and you don’t have to think so much about it,” he said.

Plum works directly with two lower Fairfield County gyms, Peak Physique in Greenwich and Cross Fit in Stamford. He works with the personal trainers and boot camp programs to kick-start health regimes for their high-end clientele.

“But this is for everybody,” he said of his meals. “You can sit down and eat a healthful meal with your family that you didn’t have the time to make.” Many modern families, he said, are missing that. “It’s not any more expensive than going out to eat or ordering takeout,” he said. Down the road he might consider opening a storefront to sell his meals or even a restaurant of his own.

He believes a menu such as his will make people feel better. “If you take out ingredients such as partially hydrogenated oils and chemicals, you’ll feel better almost immediately.” And that’s priceless.

This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it Meal arrangements can be made by e-mailing or by calling (203) 482-0843.

 

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