Hi! My name is Ruqaiya Asad. I am the founder, owner and chef of Homestyle. I have been a proud resident of Frederick, Maryland for 31 years. My family and I have truly loved living in Frederick, and feel it is a blessing that we call it home.
I have always had a passion for cooking and all things food related. I started cooking and baking at the age of five. As I child, I focused on ingredients that interested me, and learned how to prepare them (such as cracking my first coconut and picking wild berries for pie). Growing up on an organic family farm in Pennsylvania, I participated in the growing process from seed to table and learned how to incorporate farm raised produce and proteins into my dishes. I experienced first-hand the superior taste of ingredients picked from our fields versus those in a grocery store carton, and I understood the difference it made in cooking. Foods were often used for healing in my household as well, and I learned to respect ingredients for more than their taste, and to value what is now called “clean” food. I believe that a dish that tastes great and makes your body and soul feel good after you eat it, is the best comfort food.
Since then, I have always cooked for events, special meals, and family gatherings. Thanksgiving is the most exciting time of the year in our house and involves three days of preparation! I have cooked regularly for the past twelve years for a hundred guests of the Frederick Soup Kitchen preparing and serving up scratch-made meals. I take great satisfaction in getting to know the person for whom I am cooking and preparing food that will uniquely please them. I have learned about gluten free, dairy free, vegan and other dietary needs through friends and family, and it is awesome to share in their excitement when I prepare a delicious dish for them to enjoy. I have taken time to learn and prepare authentic international dishes from India, Mexico, the Middle East and Asia, and I am always looking for new ideas to try.
homestylepersonalchef.com 