recipes
Story by Barbara Arciero • Portrait by Ric Tapia • Food photos by Becky Reams
Chef enjoys multiple roles in the world of food
Where she BELONGS
Yes, Becky Reams really did cater her own wedding. “My husband loves to tell people I was up at 1 a.m. the night before, frosting the cake,” the newlywed said with a laugh. Reams’ mom contributed her famous baked beans and her best friend made her signature mac and cheese, but the woman who has played multiple roles in the food business—chef, restaurateur and Hollywood food stylist, among others—prepared everything else, from appetizers to cake. “It wasn’t because I felt obligated to do it,” she explained. “It’s because cooking and food in general are a monumental part of my life. I couldn’t imagine, on the most important day of my life, not to prepare the food we served to our guests.” Besides, “I love a good challenge.” That’s probably why, on a dare, the young Kansas native tried out for the 2012 season of “MasterChef,” a FOX network cooking competition. Out of nearly 45,000 applicants, Reams finished third. That experience bolstered her confidence, she said, and steeled her resolve to leave a successful food photography career to cook full time in the competitive Los Angeles market. “The most important thing I gained from being on ‘MasterChef ’ was learning to trust my gut and just go for it,” she said. Reams’ latest role in the food world is serving as a private chef for a Los Angeles-area family. It’s another way the self-proclaimed people person is able to share her passion for healthful, innovative food. “I absolutely love this industry,” she said. “I’ve made it work for me.”
Barbara Arciero barciero@californiabountiful.com
Becky Reams likes to share tips and tricks she’s learned working in professional kitchens through her kitchen hacks.
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September/October 2020
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