LISA AUCLAIR:
FOODIE WITH FLAIR

Getting Connected
As an artist who constantly finds herself at various shows, events, and gallery openings, Karen is always meeting new, fascinating people. And, it’s through these meetings that she often learns some amazing life stories. One of the events that Karen has repeatedly participated in over the past several years has been the Norfolk Farmers Market. It was there that she met Lisa Auclair, manager of the Market, and soon learned a little bit about Lisa’s intriguing talents and passions.

Food Fanatic
Lisa began her journey into the world of culinary arts at a pivotal time of change in her life. It was after the end of first marriage that she made the decision to start attending CT Culinary Institute in Farmington. Looking back, she says with confidence that it was the best thing she ever did. While focusing on her schooling during the evenings, she spent her days as the innkeeper at The Manor House Bed & Breakfast in Norfolk, CT. Her experience at the inn made her realize that she would never want to work in a high- paced, stressful restaurant environment. As she states, “I wanted to be able to have a say in my food, and interact with customers.” So, she set out to find a way to use her new culinary knowledge in a laid-back setting. This opportunity presented itself with her first cooking job at a small café in Canaan. It that was everything she had hoped for, as she was able to design the menu and prepare real country-style food. A small kitchen that was partially open to the dining room gave her the ability to interact with all the customers in a very home-like setting.

Going Natural
When Lisa moved onto her next job at Kripalu Center for Yoga in Lenox, MA, she began to gain an interest in energy work, nutrition, and whole foods cooking. From there, she continued to explore this new passion at Passiflora Tea Room and Apothecary. As the head cook at Passiflora, Lisa designed the menus, prepared a wide variety of organic vegetarian and vegan cuisine. She learned how to add the optimal amounts of nutrients to everything from soups to cookies.

Family Ties
During her time at Passiflora, Lisa was pregnant with her daughter Erin. She assumed that she’d return to work after her 3 months maternity leave, but she fell in love with her daughter, and being a mom became her top priority. To keep her hand in the cooking scene while also spending as much time with Erin as possible, Lisa started a catering business called Sweet Ginger. She found this more commercial type of cooking to be unfulfilling. It was hard to go from Passiflora’s 75% organic kitchen to a realm of cooking that relied on purchasing less-expensive, processed foods that lacked in wholesome nutrients.

Sparking Ideas
It was because of this whole journey that Lisa began to think about the idea of “personal cheffing.” She loved the thought of doing work that she was passionate about and that would also allow her to design her own schedule and have complete creative authority. She says, “all in all, my desire really is to cook wholesome food, and create a schedule that will allow me to spend the maximum time with my daughter. I didn't have a child until I was 37, so it seemed silly to just leave her after giving birth.  I also, at 40, have hit a time in my life of ‘no compromise.’  I have worked so hard at the B&B and at restaurants, giving up any, and sometimes all, free time. I no longer wish to live like that. I want a well rounded life that supports my family as well as allowing a creative outlet.”

Her interest in personal cheffing addresses this exact issue of busy families with little free time.  So many families are two-income, and with all of the children's activities, they rarely have time to cook a nutritious meal.  Lisa feels that she can provide a cost-effective and smart way for families to get proper nutrition. By coming into people's homes during the day, preparing a week’s worth of meals, and packaging these meals with directions for preparation, Lisa is helping busy families to avoid the trap of fast-food, take-out, and prepackaged, processed entrees. 

Farmers Markets
Knowing just a little about her history with food and her commitment to healthy-eating, Lisa’s involvement in the Norfolk Farmers Market seems a perfect fit. The markets have been so well-received by the community that they’ve grown immensely over the past several years. In the first year of the Norfolk Farmers Markets, there were 5 monthly events. Last year, the markets increased to bi-weekly, and this past year has brought about weekly events. The markets combine food and crafts, with an increased focus on food demos in the coming year. Be sure to stop by the December 12 th Farmers Holiday Market for holiday goodies and gifts, including Karen Rossi creations. The event will be held at Battell Chapel in Norfolk from 10 AM -1 PM. For more information, visit www.norfolkfarmersmarket.org

Green Living
In additional to all of her cheffing and Farmers Market responsibilities, Lisa also works as an independent associate of Viridian, one of the newest energy suppliers in CT.  This position fits perfectly into her life, because it allows her to promote yet another way of healthier, greener living. She loves promoting the use of cleaner resources. Viridian is offering the lowest price per kwh right now, utilizing 20% renewable resources (wind and solar).  “A lot of people don't know that they can purchase their energy from a different supplier other than their main utility, and save money on their bill each month,” Lisa says. For more information, go to www.viridian.com/LTAuclair.

The Important Things
All in all, Lisa finds that it’s her daughter Erin who is really the motivating factor for choosing the types of things that she does.  Lisa says, “I think that our generation has focused so much on material gain and career advancement that they have forgotten the simple pleasures of life....playing with our children, planting a garden, meditation.” Instead of living in a “fog of busyness,” Lisa is now choosing to integrate activities that make her heart sing. “I feel more connected and fulfilled as an individual,” she says, “More creative and productive, and a true role model for my daughter.”