[THERE IS A GIVEAWAY AT THE END OF THIS ARTICLE. THE WINNER HAS BEEN SELECTED! CONGRATS TO JOANNE F. FROM NASHUA]
Chef Nicole of T-BONES and Cactus Jack's restaurants answers a few key questions for Macaroni Kid Derry and offers subscribers a wonderful chance to enter to win...
Tell us, what a typical day looks like for Chef Nicole?
My day starts around 6:15 am when my husband and I get the kids up to go off to all their places! Then, depending on if it's a day I’m in our corporate office working with marketing or a day I’m in operations building a menu, testing a product, or meeting up with restaurant leaders, I'll head into to a particular location. I work with many of the teams across our company in many ways, so my days all look different…but that’s part of the fun! I typically work until 5 - 5:30 and then get the kids, make dinner, do homework, or go to the kids’ sports games, try to squeeze in a workout, and then hit the hay!
Being a mother yourself, do you cook often for your kids?
I do. My kids are all very good, adventurous eaters for the most part, but we enjoy simple, hearty, and healthy meals typically. Things like Chicken Pot Pie, Vegetable or Meat Stir Fry, Indian inspired dishes, Burgers, Homemade Pizza, Pastas, Soups, Roasted or grilled meats and lots of rice!
How has your career as a chef prepared you for becoming a mom?
I often joke that I had no idea how much being a chef and working in a kitchen had prepared me for motherhood! The multitasking, blend of personalities, functioning in a busy environment, and most of all the noise! I have learned to go with the flow, think on my feet, and put out mini fires…literally & figuratively.
Does your family have a cooking background?
Not professionally, but yes! Both my mom and dad are great cooks, as well as many other members of my family. I grew up around lots of food. Holidays and celebrations always revolved around food and sitting down to eat dinner every night was a major part of my upbringing. My parents always cooked (much of which was from scratch) breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
What is your favorite family style meal?
Hands down stir fry! My kids and husband have been trained to love Asian inspired foods, as it's my favorite! It's super easy, healthful, and always yields a great lunch the next day too…bonus!
What foods do you hope your kids love as they get older?
That’s simple. Vegetables. I hope they continue to enjoy, grow, and expand their taste for vegetables. I have a very simple approach to health, which is a fundamental belief in fueling your body with as many plants and phytonutrients as possible to help optimize the systems and functions. I believe food is fuel, but also an amazingly enjoyable part of life. My hope is that my kids approach to food is always centered around what they SHOULD be eating, not around what they need to cut out. Life is much tastier and healthier that way!
** ENTER THE CHEF NICOLE AND T-BONES GIVEAWAY **
No one knows better than Chef Nicole how hard moms work daily to put great food on the table for their families. In honor of all hard working moms, we're helping her host a GIVEAWAY for 1 LUCKY WINNER!
Prize:
- A $50 gift card to T-BONES Great American Eatery!
Here's how this giveaway works:
- You must be a subscriber of Macaroni Kid Derry, a resident of the US, and at least 18 years of age to enter and win. Sign up for your FREE weekly calendar of Greater Derry area events from Macaroni Kid Derry HERE. See official rules HERE.
- Follow T-BONES on Facebook.
- Fill out the Chef Nicole T-BONES Giveaway Google Entry Form HERE. One entry per email, please. Entries will be accepted from April 29, 2021, at 9 am ET through May 5, 2021, at 12:00 pm ET when the winners are drawn.
- Check out site to see if you won! We will draw a winner using random.org and the results will be posted to our site on the morning of Thursday, May 6, 2021. If you are drawn as a winner, we will email you and let you know how to claim your prize. Winners have 36 hours to claim their prize or a new winner will be chosen.
It's as easy as that. Good luck and thank you for being a Macaroni Kid reader!
Contest rules include:
Winners will be notified by email- you must use a valid email or you will not know you've won. Please add karynm@macaronikid.com to your contacts to avoid missing out.
If you do not respond to the email within 36 hours, another winner will be chosen.
Entering this contest means you are a subscriber of our weekly newsletter or you consent to being subscribed.
You must live within 20 miles of the Greater Derry New Hampshire area. If you win a prize that is not electronic, you agree to meet the publisher to retrieve the prize. Prizes will not be shipped.
See complete rules here.
WANT MORE GREATER DERRY AREA FAMILY-FUN IDEAS?
Check out our Top 5 Local Things to do this Weekend Article!
🌸🌸🌸
------------
SUBSCRIBE FOR MORE!
Love this article? Want more like it and to get the latest on local Greater Derry area events? Subscribe HERE to receive our free, weekly Macaroni Kid Derry newsletter in your inbox every Thursday morning. Our goal is to bring you all of the best family-friendly events, activities, and businesses in our area. We proudly serve the towns of Derry, Londonderry, Hampstead, East Hampstead, Windham, Salem, Chester, Candia, Atkinson, Auburn, Sandown, Pelham and Plaistow! Contact us anytime (karynm@macaronikid.com) with your ideas, event listings, and suggestions. Have a small business and want to reach thousands of local families? Advertise with us!
