(picture courtesy of Visual Statements Photography)

Stir-fry foods have proven to be a successful mash-up of ingredients for me.  I grew up eating foods made by mom in a wok. It was so much fun creating plates full of surprises. Those dinners were probably the only ones when I didn’t mind eating vegetables. If you’ve not experimented much with stir-fry, trust me when I tell you it’s a wonderful approach to creating a meal that incorporates all the flavors and textures you like. A free for all, if you will—a limitless opportunity to eat complex or simple flavors.

Being a private chef and food writer offers many opportunities to explore my creativity to create dishes that suite my taste buds’ needs. Sometimes, I want spicy (though subtle heat), sometimes crunchy (actually, more often than not this is the case), and as of late, I’m loving a perfect mix of soft and somewhat chewy.

I’ve done a lot of eating out around the country, but I’ve found few places that are masters at stir-fry. In fact, with the eclectic dining scenes in Manhattan or even D.C. it surprises every time I visit when I fall short on a great recommendation. I’ve found a place in Atlanta, however, that specializes in all things stir-fry. In fact, if you don’t know how to stir-fry, my friends at The Real Chow Baby will show you the way. They offer the incredibly fresh and distinct ingredients to make a bowl that will force you to get back in line for seconds. After all, it’s one of those places where you can eat all you’d like—so if you fail the first time and your flavors didn’t work, just try again. From the fresh mint, to a variety of protein options and all the seasonings one could possibly imagine (like Thai Spice, pink seasoned salt, finely ground ginger spice) this outpost is the perfect setting for the adventurous gourmet.

To read this week’s column! in Dean & DeLuca’s ‘Gourmet Blog’, click here and enjoy a custom recipe!