( ENSPIRE Feature ) Chef Huda Mu’min Blends Eclectic Flavors and Health-Conscious Cooking
ENSPIRE Contributor: Sophia Kang
Chef Huda Mu’min is the definition of a culinary powerhouse. After graduating from Le Cordon Bleu at the top of her class, she became the highest-earning winner of Food Network’s Cutthroat Kitchen and cooked for the Obamas (what?!). Last year, she founded Chef Huda’s Kitchen, an “innovative and culturally conscious” culinary company specializing in heart-healthy comfort food, and she is currently working on her first cookbook. Raised by a multicultural and organic family, her love for eclectic flavors and health-conscious cooking started early.
In January, Chef Huda launched Just Savor, a custom-curated, gluten-free, and vegan selection of over 20 spice blends. The selection offers heart-healthy, salt-free options and contains no MSG, artificial additives, or artificial preservatives. A percentage of profits will go to nonprofits fighting child poverty and food inequity in the U.S. So with a single purchase, you’re getting the flavor and you’re supporting good causes.
ENSPIRE spoke with Chef Huda Mu’min about where she gets her holiday recipe inspiration, her favorite holiday memory, and one spice blend from Just Savor she couldn’t live without.
Where do you find your holiday recipe inspiration?
I find my inspiration for holiday recipes from my childhood memories, family, different cultures, restaurants, and other chefs’ food that I have experienced. The great part about the holidays is that you can do traditional dishes your family loves and use them as an opportunity to try new things, incorporate new dishes, try new spices, new ingredients, and really make it a festive culinary journey.
What is your favorite holiday cooking memory?
Some of my favorite holiday cooking memories are when my family used to get together at my great grandmother’s or great aunt’s house and we would celebrate the holidays together. Everyone would cook and help and it was just a great time to be together. There was always tons of food, lots of laughs, and most of all love. Those are some of my favorite holiday memories.
What is one spice blend from your spice line that you couldn’t live without, and why?
There are so many great spices in the Just Savor spice line that it’s so hard for me to pick. One of my favorites is Garlic Goodness because it really adds a wonderful savory flavor to any dish. I use it on meats, soups, sauces, grains, and veggies. Also, the other thing I love about it is it’s one of our salt-free spice blends that delivers bold flavor without all the sodium. I think for the holiday season, it’s perfect because you can use it in so many dishes.
Read the rest of Chef Huda’s interview in our Entertainment and Gift Guide Issue! Get your print or digital copy here.
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