When people discover I’ve spent a good part of my life cooking in professional kitchens, they often ask questions about being a chef.
Certain inquiries are more common than others, such as: What’s your favorite thing to cook? Or, what’s the best way to cook a steak? Then there’s the ever-presumptuous statement: “You must cook all the time at home.”

My answer to those questions remains the same every time, and the presumption that I cook all the time at home is halfway true.
I don’t really have a favorite thing to cook. I just love to cook. I have since a very early age. I have a core memory of taping sloppily written signs reading “Clay-ios Pizza” onto the swinging door of my parents’ kitchen. In my imagination, it was my very own Italian pizza joint. The customers – my sisters and grandmother – eagerly awaited as I prepared Chef Boyardee pizza straight from the make-it-yourself kit. What can I say? Some kids pretended to be cops and firefighters; I pretended to be a chef.

I’m typically reluctant to answer when asked my favorite thing to cook. My response often changes. But if I must, my answer is pizza – respectfully so. My son, Landon, and I have haphazardly learned the art of making homemade pizza. It’s not for the faint of heart. We have tried everything from making our own dough and sauce to baking it in our blue, fish-shaped terracotta outdoor pizza oven. On extremely hot and humid days, we use a stone in the gas oven inside. We’ve tried, failed, and tried again – eventually succeeding. We’ve made some really special memories with that pizza oven, and the pies weren’t bad either.

Perhaps my favorite thing to cook is whatever I’m making with the ones I love. Making pizza with Landon has become something much larger than just cooking. It’s special to us.

So what’s the best way to cook a steak? To be honest, there is no single right answer. That question reminds me of one of my first columns about the subjectivity of food. I could elaborate on cooking temperatures, but it feels pointless. I know people who like their steak medium well, others who prefer it well done, and it seems socially acceptable to settle for nothing less than medium rare.

According to whom, though? We should eat what we like, regardless of the status quo. And don’t get me started on the various cuts and grades of beef. It’s all enough to make you want a pork chop. Frankly, I prefer swine over beef anyway. Last I checked, a cow can’t produce bacon – just saying.

I do firmly believe the best way to cook a steak is on the grill. I prefer charcoal, but the devil is in the details, so it’s always better to pick the one you know. Many folks swear by propane. With a good cut of meat, you rarely need more than salt and pepper. Also, never take shame in using steak sauce. A-1 and Heinz 57 didn’t become famous by being bad sauces. Personally, I prefer Country Bob’s. Try it – you’ll thank me later.

That leaves how often I cook at home. Believe it or not, I don’t shoulder the entire workload – not even close. Shannon, my wife, is an excellent cook, and I’m not just saying that. She spoils me with creative dishes, and her fried chicken is second only to Krispy Crunchy Chicken from the Phillips 76 in Verona. Her scratch-made tamales have a cult following (if you know, you know), and her baking skills far surpass mine. The only caveat: we can’t share the kitchen. I’m not saying I’m bossy at the cooktop – I’m just particular – but I’m pretty sure Shannon has another word for it.

I said it last week, but I’ll say it again: this time of year really is grand. The tastes and smells that carry us through the holidays are so evocative. The anticipation of making our favorite holiday recipes is just as magical as the dishes themselves.

Don’t you love pulling out an old recipe written in your grandmother’s handwriting? Or using a cast-iron skillet passed down through the generations? You can embrace your loved ones and visit those who are gone through food.

I treasure memories from the kitchen, especially those from holidays spent with family. Right now, I can envision my grandmother, Gran, in our kitchen with her apron on. When she visited, she always cooked, and when she cooked, all was right with the world.

I will always love making a variety of foods, from pizza to steak and everything in between. But my very favorite dish will always be anything I cook with all of the people I love.

Clay Bowen is a Columbus native who cooked professionally as a chef in fine dining for 12 years and appeared on the third season of Top Chef. He is also a licensed landscape horticulturist. Email him at [email protected].

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