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JUST ME CATERING NEWS Park Record - October 19, 2005 Creating meals one dish at a time Just Me catering customizes events View Article 
Maybe you've seen Scotland-born Cordon Bleu Chef Julie Keller scooting around in her bitty white Volkswagen bug with her garlic emblem 'Just Me' logo on the side. Or perhaps you've followed her tracks down a bumpy ski slope. More than likely, you may have sampled one of her pork roasts. However you know her, chances are it was 'just her,' a phrase she couldn't help choosing as her catering business name, because it's true she does it all herself. Keller's independence has sent her globe trotting to London, Val D'Isere and Morzine, France and the south of France where she cooked for celebrities like Joan Collins, Jack Nicholson and Roger Moore, then to Vail, Colo., 15 years ago and subsequently to Park City, seven years later. Just Me catering owner Julie Keller says she uses her Volkswagen bug to shuttle meals to all her events. Photo: Grayson West/Park Record. "I'm pretty much willing to try anything," she confirms, adding, that she may be trained in traditional French cuisine techniques, she has cooked for strictly organic Sundance Film Festival-goers, and has also whipped up delicacies like Scottish-smoked salmon on brown bread triangle, and last summer, she was booked solid with private barbecue parties. She will also help with event planning whether it's finding a banner, a venue or renting tables and chairs, she says. "I'm very flexible when it comes to style and budget," she explains. "I know a lot of people think, 'there's no way I can afford a personal chef,' but I cook with what's available, what's fresh, and I can make it possible for people to afford a private chef-cooked meal at home. I can make a meal look like it costs more than it did." Keller does have her mother to thank for kick-starting her cooking career, she admits, and for showing her how to work with clients. Growing up, Keller helped prepare meals for her mother's own catering business and continues to hop the Atlantic for to help with larger events. Last year, she flew back to the Royal Troon Golf Course for the British Open to cater an event for hundreds of people. "I like to make sure people are happy and I treat each dish as individual. The first thing I do is sit down with a client to get a feel for what they want and then I make suggestions and bring ideas," she explained. "What's rewarding for me is when people say they enjoyed their meal, because I think good meals bring people together." Throughout her life, Keller observe, cooking has remained her pillar, and has allowed her to travel and pursue her passion for skiing. Skiing was once a priority, however. For 10 years, she competed for Britain in moguls on the World Cup circuit, missing the 1998 Nagano Winter Olympics by a fraction of a point. Competing in moguls is what brought her to Vail, and missing the Olympics brought her to Park City to coach ski racers at Deer Valley. After eight years and a marriage to an Alta Ski Patroller, Keller appears to be comfortable hanging her hat in Utah, the state that possesses what she calls "the champagne of snow." Keller's enthusiasm for Utah skiing has convinced Alta she's good for their public relations, and the resort gives her a pass so she can ski with their customers. "I don't know, I like it there," she laughs, "and I think they like my accent." Keller plans to keep Park City her home for now, she says, finding local business camaraderie and friends suit her style. Currently, she teams up with New Dough Rising for pastries and rents space from a fellow chef for larger parties. "I think what I like about Park City is the people, and I think that now that the town is growing, we're really hanging on to each other, you know? It's a place where people really appreciate good food and good snow," she explains. In the future, she hopes to hire a second chef and more wait staff, as the orders for parties of 100 guests increase "but I don't know what I'd call myself then, because it won't be just me anymore, will it?" Until then, she'll keep the name. To contact Julie Keller's Just Me catering, call 435-513-5027 or e-mail justmecook@hotmail.com. All content within this website © 2005 Julie Gall |
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