About

How It All Started

Like many people who love to cook, my journey started small — watching my mother and grandmother work magic with simple ingredients. They could make something wonderful out of next to nothing. I grew up learning that food didn’t have to be fancy to be special. It just had to be made with care.

In school, I was always curious about how things work — how flavors change when you roast instead of boil, or why a sauce thickens at just the right temperature.

That curiosity eventually led me into research as a career. I study, I test, I compare, I document — and honestly, cooking isn’t all that different. Both require patience, observation, and the willingness to experiment.

Over time, I realized that research and cooking share a heartbeat. In the lab, I follow data; in the kitchen, I follow flavor. Both worlds feed my curiosity, and both teach me something new every day.

Cooking as My Second Language

Cooking is how I express love, gratitude, and creativity. It’s how I spend time with people I care about. When I invite someone over, food is always part of the plan — sometimes it’s a big meal, other times just snacks and laughter.

I don’t consider myself a professional chef. I’m a home cook who believes that home cooking can be extraordinary without being complicated. I’ve recreated dishes from popular restaurants just because I wanted to see if I could. And more often than not, I surprise myself.

You might find me spending hours figuring out how to make a restaurant-style creamy pasta without using heavy cream, or turning leftover rice into something totally new. Cooking is never boring for me. It’s like a puzzle that smells amazing.

Why I Started MingleChef

I started MingleChef.com to share what I’ve learned — not as a teacher or an expert, but as someone who’s always learning right along with you.

This site grew out of my notebook, the one where I used to scribble recipe notes, test results, ingredient swaps, and ideas that came to me at 2 a.m. I wanted a place to keep them organized, and before long, I wanted to share them.

MingleChef is where my two worlds meet — the curious researcher who loves details and the home chef who loves flavor. I wanted to build a space that feels warm, useful, and real. A space where recipes are written for real kitchens, not TV sets.

The name MingleChef came to me one afternoon when I was thinking about how food brings people together. To mingle means to mix — ingredients, people, flavors, and stories. That’s what food does best.

My Cooking Style

If I had to describe my cooking style, I’d say it’s curious, simple, and full of flavor. I don’t believe good food has to be complicated or expensive.

Sometimes, the best recipes are the ones with just a few ingredients done right.

I like dishes that feel comforting but still have a twist — maybe a familiar classic with a surprising flavor, or a restaurant favorite made easier for home kitchens.

I also love recreating dishes I’ve tasted while traveling or dining out. When I find something I like, I come home and start experimenting until I figure out how to get that same taste (or even better). It’s like solving a delicious mystery.

And yes, not every attempt is a success — there are kitchen disasters too. But I keep those notes as well because mistakes teach more than perfect results ever could.

Beyond the Kitchen

When I’m not stirring, baking, or tasting, you’ll probably find me out fishing with my husband. Fishing gives me the same sense of calm that cooking does. It’s quiet, slow, and full of tiny surprises. Sometimes we come back with a catch, sometimes not — either way, it’s always time well spent.

Fishing isn’t just a hobby for me; it’s a shared rhythm in our life. It teaches patience, just like slow cooking does. That connection to nature, the waiting, the stillness — it all reminds me that good things take time.

We even run a fishing Facebook group, where we share our catches, tips, and sometimes even recipes for what we cook after a good day on the water. It’s a fun little community that feels like family.

My Kitchen Philosophy

Every kitchen has its own heartbeat. Mine runs on curiosity, flavor, and laughter. I don’t believe in strict rules when it comes to food. I believe in trying, tasting, adjusting, and making it yours.

Cooking should never feel like pressure. It should feel like play. Don’t worry if your dish doesn’t look picture-perfect — what matters is that it tastes good and makes someone smile.

My goal with MingleChef is to make cooking approachable for everyone — whether you’re new to it or have been cooking for years. Recipes here are tested, adjusted, and written the way I’d explain them to a friend sitting at my counter with a cup of coffee.

What You’ll Find on MingleChef

Here’s what you can expect on this site:

• Homemade versions of restaurant favorites — because recreating that special flavor at home feels amazing.
• Easy weeknight meals — recipes that fit busy schedules without losing flavor.
• Comfort food that warms the soul — soups, stews, casseroles, and all the cozy things.
• Seasonal recipes — using what’s fresh and available, because ingredients taste best when they’re in season.
• Cooking tips and experiments — the researcher in me can’t help but test what works best and why.

You’ll also find honest stories, practical notes, and sometimes, a peek into my fishing adventures or family moments that inspired a meal.

The Joy of Sharing

Food connects people in ways few things can. Sharing recipes isn’t just about instructions — it’s about sharing stories. When someone makes one of my recipes and says it reminded them of home, or brought their family together at the table, that’s the best compliment I could ever get.

Cooking, for me, isn’t about perfection. It’s about connection. It’s about making something that brings comfort, or nostalgia, or maybe just a little bit of happiness after a long day.

That’s what I hope MingleChef brings to anyone who stops by — recipes that feel doable, stories that feel real, and food that feels like home.

My Research Background and How It Helps

Being a researcher shapes the way I cook. I love to dig into why certain methods work, why some flavors balance better than others, and how tiny changes make a big difference.

It also means I’m not afraid to test things over and over until I understand them. I experiment with temperatures, techniques, and timings the way I test theories at work. The process is similar — form a hypothesis, test it, taste it, adjust, and record the results.

That mindset helps me create recipes that are reliable and repeatable. If I say a cookie stays soft for three days, I’ve tested it to make sure it really does.

The MingleChef Community

MingleChef isn’t just my corner of the internet — it’s a growing kitchen of people who love food, who aren’t afraid to try new things, and who know that mistakes are part of learning.

I love when readers share photos, tweaks, or their own versions of recipes. It’s proof that cooking is alive, evolving, and personal. No two dishes are ever truly the same, and that’s the beauty of it.

Over time, I hope MingleChef becomes more than a recipe site. I want it to be a friendly kitchen table on the internet — a place where people feel inspired, encouraged, and connected.

What Keeps Me Inspired

I stay inspired by flavors, travel, people, and stories. Sometimes, a random memory sparks an idea — like the smell of garlic butter from a café years ago or the crunch of fried fish from a local fair.

Inspiration also comes from readers who share what they’ve made, or from friends who call asking for a “quick dinner idea.”

And of course, fishing trips always bring new sparks. Fresh catches lead to new recipes, and quiet moments near the water give me space to think.

My Kitchen Motto

If I had to sum up my approach to food, it would be this:

“Cook with heart, taste with curiosity, and serve with joy.”

Cooking isn’t a race. It’s a rhythm. Every dish has a story, and every cook adds their own twist. Don’t be afraid to try, fail, and try again. The best recipes are often born from a mistake you turned into something amazing.

A Few Fun Facts About Me

• I can’t resist kitchen gadgets, but I still end up using the same favorite spatula every day.
• My spice rack is alphabetized — that’s the researcher in me.
• I’ve once burned a batch of cookies while trying to “just check email for one minute.”
• My favorite comfort meal is fried fish with lemon butter and a side of mashed potatoes.
• My husband says I hum when I cook. I don’t notice it, but he swears I do.

A Note to My Readers

If you’ve made it this far — thank you. Thank you for reading, for cooking, for being curious. Thank you for making MingleChef part of your day.

This site isn’t just recipes; it’s a piece of who I am. It’s a blend of my love for research, my obsession with flavors, and my belief that food connects people in simple, beautiful ways.

Whether you’re here to find tonight’s dinner idea or just browsing for inspiration, I’m glad you stopped by. Pull up a chair, stay awhile, and mingle with me in this little kitchen corner of the internet.

Stay Connected

You can reach me anytime at ethel@minglechef.com — I love hearing from readers.

You can also find me and my fishing adventures on Facebook in our Fishing Friends Group, where food and fishing stories meet more often than you’d expect.

And of course, follow MingleChef on social media for new recipes, cooking tips, and behind-the-scenes moments.

Cooking, fishing, and researching all teach the same quiet lesson — patience pays off. Whether it’s waiting for a sauce to thicken or a fish to bite, good things come with time, care, and curiosity.

That’s what I try to pour into every recipe, every story, and every post on MingleChef.com.

Thanks for being here.
— Ethel R. Barnes