15. Cooking, Reinventing, and Joy with Ask Chef Dennis
I’m joined by chef, food blogger, photographer, recipe developer, and creator of Ask Chef Dennis®, Dennis Littley. He’s an online cooking sensation known for sharing his recipes and techniques that result in restaurant-quality meals in under 30 minutes. After transitioning from chef to food services management, Dennis landed in the cafeteria of an all-girls Catholic high school. He was tired of the same old pizza and chicken nuggets, and decided to use his fine dining experience to revamp the menu. He eventually created a culinary program that brought acclaim to the school and was used as a model for other schools around the country.
It was around that time that he started his food blog to provide a space for his trainees to learn more and connect, but he also gained a global following. Dennis and I discuss what inspired him to get out of his comfort zone, start recording cooking videos, and develop new social media skills. He shares the stories behind some of his most popular recipes, including the fan-favorite tiramisu, and what his vision is for his culinary travel series.
Throughout his career, Dennis has always been dedicated to paying it forward and opening people’s minds to the world of possibility that exists within the home kitchen. Even in a prosperous and privileged country like the US, there are millions of children and adults who don’t get the daily meals they need in order to thrive. Dennis is passionate about the work that the folks over at Feeding America do to ensure equitable access to nutritious food for all Americans.
Listen to today’s episode to hear Chef Dennis’ story and find joy in the one thing that brings us together: delicious food!
About our guest:
Topics Covered:
The importance of surrounding yourself with a with a team that lifts you up and delegating tasks
Reigniting the spark for something that you love after experiencing burnout
Tips for becoming more present in the cooking and eating process
Being open to learning new skills and reinventing yourself in retirement
How Dennis is upgrading his website and staying on top of food trends
Dennis’ philosophy of giving everything in life three chances
Special Offers:
If there’s a topic or charity you want me to highlight on the podcast, DM it to me on Instagram @getbusylivin_pod
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COMPUTER GENERATED TRANSCRIPT:
[00:00:00] Anne O'Neil: Hey, hey GBS. Welcome to get busy. Living a podcast that brings inspiring people together to discover what ignites them to be bigger than themselves. I'm your host Anne. O'Neil. Well, our guest today is going to appeal to everyone as his craft is in the kitchen. Today, I talk with the international star chef Dennis Littly.
Dennis has had all kinds of various jobs throughout the cooking and restaurant industry. And then just when he thought he was going to retire, he became a famous food blogger and social media influencer. Get ready for an entertaining and mouthwatering conversation with ask chef Dennis.
All right. Well, Dennis, I'm so excited you're on today. You know, you are a universal guest that everyone is going to appeal to because your. Craft and language is all about food and everyone can relate to that. So we're so excited to have you on the get busy living podcast.
[00:01:11] Dennis Littley: Well, thank you so much for having me on Anne today.
And yeah, I know. I, I picked a good topic when I started blogging because everybody eats, someone asked me, who's your market? And I said, well, Pretty much everybody
[00:01:22] Anne O'Neil: right. It is everyone. I mean, so I knew we were having this conversation today and I was like cooking breakfast and I realized how much more conscious I was of the food I was creating, just because I knew we were having this conversation.
So we'll have to get into that a little bit later, but let's give everyone a little bit of your story. Like how did you become a chef and chef
[00:01:41] Dennis Littley: Dennis? Well, it was a long tour actually. It's it started? I got the bug, I think when I was younger because my mom worked nights, she was a nurse and I would be left, offend for myself some afternoon.
So I started getting the idea that if I knew how to cook, I would eat. And then there was a guy on TV. I was telling her gram Kerr, the Gallop and gourmet. And he, he would bring people down from the audience and they would moan. When they hate you now, he , he, he was cutting edge back then. He's really corny.
If you look at the old shows now compared to where we've gone. Okay. But I think that resonated with me and always stuck with me because my artistic talents leave a lot to be desired in most other categories, I can do some okay. Mm-hmm but nothing. Well, but cooking always seem to be where I would shine and, uh, where I could make people really happy.
And that's something that has always been. Very important to me, you know, I'm a, I'm a Virgo and they say you're a people pleaser. You like to make people happy.
[00:02:39] Anne O'Neil: how did that kind of end up being a career for you? I know you've had a couple of stops along the way. Oh yeah. And that journey is so interesting.
So I'd love for you to kind of speak to that. Yeah.
[00:02:48] Dennis Littley: You know, it was the old. Jack of all trades master of none. When you're young, you try so many different things, trying to find something. And, you know, I, and food always drew me, but I just, there was something at that point, it didn't seem magical to me.
You know, I was a musician. I wrote jingles for radio stations, but you know, I was okay. I wasn't great. You know, I was a carpenter. I thought I was a poet. You know, it was all kinds of things I was trying along the way. And then. It seemed like when I needed a job, food was always there. You know, it was in some form or another, whether it was managing a hamburger place or, uh, I, I worked at a, ran a nursing homes, food service.
And then I finally got into the kitchen back into the kitchen, uh, as an apprentice for some chefs. And that's where I really started to refine my trade and, and I learned. All the different aspects. I went to school and had an associates in food science. So I learned the business side of things and all the different parts that make it work.
But they're practical. You know, if someone had asked me one time, what can a culinary, this was after I learned everything, what can a culinary student make? And an hour. And I said, and I raised my hand. I said, the only thing they can make in an hour is a mess. I said, I said, you give them all day. They will give you the world.
I says, cuz they are super talented, but I mean, you put 'em under pressure until they've actually worked in the industry and they've been under pressure to have to produce in a short period of time. A lot of 'em. Haven't understood that part of the job yet. So I learned that really first as I was learning how to do everything.
So it was more of a hands on kind of a job. And that that's how I became a chef. And then over course of different injuries, my body started breaking down and I had to go into management instead of being a chef. So I went to work for food service company and. I had was running this massive place and I was burned out and, uh, they sent me, I had been sending employees to this.
I call it the island of misfit toys. That was where I would send everybody that was kind of beat up and broken and needed to rest. Well, that's where they, that's where they ended up sending me to run it. after this tour and. I'm standing there. And a woman that I had sent there previously looked at me and says, get in the kitchen and make yourself useful.
And she scared me. So I went, yes, ma'am I was the boss. Right. And I started cooking again. And, uh, despite the fact I shouldn't have, and I quadruple sales, I started becoming legendary in this place and wow. Went back through things and then I had another carpal tunnel surgery, cuz I shouldn't have been doing that.
And when I came back, my boss. Gone to a different company. And he went to a school system and he says, I have a job for you. So with reluctance, I even went out to look at it. And when the principal said you work 165 days a year, I went, when would you like me to start?
[00:05:43] Anne O'Neil: like that
[00:05:44] Dennis Littley: schedule mm-hmm . Oh my God.
Yeah. And, uh, again, I was relegated to the office and I'm sitting there with. Basically nothing to do. And, um, food was horrible, you know, it just was not, it was school food, it was all girls Catholic high school. I have to start cooking again. They know I'm not supposed to, but I have to cause I just couldn't take it.
Right. Right. And, and I started cooking and then it became like a made for TV movie, the painted girls of me on the walls. And they were. Yeah. Cause the food got so good. So fast.
[00:06:13] Anne O'Neil: Oh my gosh. I was gonna say I, the only thing I remember from school are, was like those square rectangle pizzas. That was the number one thing I remember.
So can imagine with
[00:06:21] Dennis Littley: your schools on there. Oh, we lived through those pizzas too. Remember it was like pizzas, like pizza B. It was a big deal. Well, they were busy eating nothing but chicken fingers. That was their big thing. which chicken fingers are wonderful, but I mean, not every day and you know, you have to have other choices.
So we started gradually doing that. And then the seniors were like, just, they couldn't understand where they were getting all this food. They were coming into the, my office. And I love you, Dennis. Thank you so much. You know, it's like, oh my God. And they're cursing me at the same time. Cuz they're gaining weight.
Cause because little known. When girls are just with girls, they will eat, right. If they're with boys nowadays, I think they do eat, you know, good. Which is very good. But back in those days, it was like, you know, they would pretend not to be hungry. You know, now they've learned that it's okay to show good appetite.
I had started my blogging because of the girls. Because I wanted some place for them to go to interact and none of 'em ever wanted to, they just wanted to come see me they didn't wanna . Yeah. They didn't wanna do it on, you know, computers were still kind of new back in 2009. And so, I mean, not new, but this whole messaging and everything, but I started to get readers all around the world, which has just boggled my mind.
[00:07:35] Anne O'Neil: Oh, my gosh. You know, it's ask chef Dennis, if you guys are listening and you can Google it up and he's all over social media and the website is just amazing and so easy to navigate. Uh, but I don't wanna miss a couple of these incredible paints that you had in this story, which was amazing. All the different jumps you had between.
Being a sous chef and then working in large organizations, you know, on the business side and then working in the boarding school. What I really heard there was, there were so many skill sets that, you know, I didn't even know about thinking about food, but you have strategy, you have planning, you have business management, you know, so many different things, even along with like kind of teamwork there in the, yeah.
In the back of the kitchen. So what, what did that look like that helped develop your skillset to be able to do what you're doing now?
[00:08:21] Dennis Littley: Well, you know, it's, it's funny that to run a kitchen, you have to be proficient in so many different areas. And, you know, I was lucky to get them like kind of bite by bite as I went through the journey mm-hmm and, and I had that type of, uh, Of added, not attitude, but it was in, in me to be that leader.
You know, I, I always says, my wife says, oh, you don't want anybody else to take charge. I says, that's not true. I says, if they're competent, right. And she laughs, she goes, oh yeah, it's always, if they're competent, but who decides that? But in all business, you have to apply a, a leadership role. You have to be able to train people.
You have to be able to communicate with people and you have to be open to learning new skill sets. Depending upon what type of businesses is a lot of the same principles apply. Mm-hmm and it's a matter of doing what you do really well using your time. That's gonna make you the most productive. And instead of killing yourself, trying to do 12 things, you hire things out, you find good people that can do the things that, you know, you could do them if you really push came to shove, but there would be no joy in it.
And you wouldn't do it as well as someone that had that joy,
[00:09:28] Anne O'Neil: Dennis, that spoke right to my. You might not be able to find joy in doing that task and delegating it and surrounding yourself with a, with a team is so, so important in that.
[00:09:39] Dennis Littley: Yeah. And it's not always easy to find that team, but you know, it's a trial and error.
Sometimes you get lucky with the first person, but you know, don't think that's always gonna happen because you're gonna find people that are gonna sell you a bill of goods. And me, you know, I, I'm trusting to a point where I'll believe you until I know otherwise. And, and, and then I borrow a line from the godfathers you're dead to me, Fredo, you know, it's like, ,
[00:10:04] Anne O'Neil: oh, I love when you have a good movie quote on here.
That's great. But
[00:10:07] Dennis Littley: yeah, it's a matter of just taking those things, because what happens is if you begin doing all the things you find no joy in, pretty soon, you won't find joy in what you're good at. Mm.
[00:10:17] Anne O'Neil: And I remember hearing a little bit about your story, that there was a time period where you lost a little bit of joy for cooking.
Oh yeah. And I'd love to hear that story because you know, even playing basketball or when you're in your career and you're kind of, you know, just navigating through life. There are times where you're stepping back and trying to find that spark again for something that you love so much. So how did you come back to cooking and kind of, you know, reclaim yourself onto, uh, being such a great chef?
[00:10:46] Dennis Littley: Well, you, you know, I went through a period when I, I was actually told I couldn't work anymore. And we moved to Florida and I went into depression and, you know, I, I, and it wasn't like I wanted to hurt myself, but I just, I wouldn't get off the sofa. I would shower. I would shave. And the only time I would find some happiness was when I was doing, I used to do a lot of live videos.
Wow. I did. When Google plus was around, I was doing shows and my wife says, that's the only time you're happy anymore. And, uh, we moved to Florida and I. The blue skies and the sunshine and a little bit of medication made me happy again. yeah. Which, which I always tell people is not a bad thing. If you have to take something mm-hmm mm-hmm
I started working and I, I did rekindle my spirit for cooking when we moved to Florida and then we started traveling and then again, I was doing so much, I was so intent on social media. I was so intent on building this other part of the business that I forgot about what I was really good at. You know, I didn't take my own advice at that point.
and I forgot what I was really good at and what brought me the most joy. At the end of the day, I was like, I'm so tired. You know, I just worked 10 hours in front of a computer pretty much. And I said, oh, let's go out to eat. You know, let's just go. And when the pandemic hit as bad as it was for my travel plans and how the life adjustments I had to make, it did one thing for me that really helped.
And it was reminded me that I like to. Wow, because I had to cook every day. Mm-hmm wow. There was no going on. I mean, we, we all thought we were gonna die just from being in the same state as someone with COVID at that point, you know, mm-hmm mm-hmm and I learned to order online, which I still do. And even if I don't feel like going to the grocery store, I just.
Go on Instacart and go. I'm not going today. You know, if it's what I like to pick out what I want. Right. But some days I'm just not in a mood, but I get my meats online from companies. I get seafood from Alaska. I'm buying all these great things and I'm in the kitchen and I'm making things going, oh my God, this is wonderful.
And I don't think I was ever as productive as I was those first few months after COVID I was, I was cooking all kinds of things. And in fact, I was cooking a little too much. I was baking a little too much. I, I went in from my physical and my blood sugar came back and I went, oh my God. I said, no more bakes for chef Dennis.
Oh, wow. I hired someone to make all my bakes from now on .
[00:13:17] Anne O'Neil: Oh, wow. I, what a great story, because there's so many people out there that, that experience, that same kind of thing. And to be able to find again, that joy, that ignites you to be able to be out here and getting back into your craft, you know, and finding new ways of growing yourself that way.
And actually, that's a really great thing. I do wanna kind of talk a little bit about to you, Dennis, is. How you kept growing through this journey, you know, you thought you were gonna be in retirement after that boarding school. And we touched upon it briefly and definitely will talk about the 2009 starting to blog, but how you always kind of find a new way to discover your next level, like keep growing and, you know, things that were maybe even in your blind spots that you didn't see.
So how, how was that when you started blogging and getting into social media and what kind of new world that opened up that you had? No idea was even possible.
[00:14:10] Dennis Littley: You know, blogging in 2009, blogging was pretty new and there were all of the, uh, the leaders, there were maybe a dozen bloggers that were the top of the, they were, they were the hierarchy and the rest of us, there was, there was no middle, it was all the way at the top and all of us, new ones.
And we were the peons and they would, you know, it, learning from them was very difficult cuz they wouldn't share anything. They were, they wanted to stay at the. And they didn't want to tell anybody else. So whenever I learned something at that point, I had been on Google plus I had found Google plus, and it was a love, hate relationship.
People either loved it or hated it. I loved it. Okay. I found my people there and I. I've met so many people that helped teach me things. So that's where the growing came. Oh, wow. You know, I, I was international. Someone found me and wanted me to be on an international team of chefs to do video teaching. And it was like, I'm thinking, oh my God, I'm able to quit my job.
This is amazing. This is so cutting edge. Well, I never transpired cause people didn't wanna pay for something they could find on YouTube. But it put me in the forefront, it taught me how to do videos and it, and I met some of the most amazing business people in the world. Mm. You know, I met David, Alan who wrote Google's semantics search and he would drop things to be on my shows or to be on things.
So I, I had people, I had a tribe.
[00:15:35] Anne O'Neil: I love that. Was it scary at all? To like, learn something new, like, like this technology and be out there, putting yourself
[00:15:41] Dennis Littley: out there? Oh my God. My first videos, my first, how long it took before I got comfortable, they were ugly. They were, oh my God. I, I remember looking goes, oh, I was so.
Bad, but, you know, you get better just through practice, like anything. And this was like, there were times that no one was watching. So practicing was easy because, right, right. By the time I got where people were watching, I had a lot of interesting guests, so they were watching them more than me. And then I just kept learning and learning.
But yeah, it's, it's always scary, but it's exciting. I mean, that's part of the adrenaline rush. I
[00:16:16] Anne O'Neil: really try to stay center on that present moment, because in that present moment, you have like all of the creation that you can possibly like make and something new can develop by just trying it again. You know, for me, it was this podcast and posting on social media.
I was I'm a few years behind you. I gotta tell you, but. Like, you know, I didn't know how to navigate that. I didn't know how to be out there with the people, but once I started, I was like, okay, videos, you know, if I say something that you don't like, we'll just edit it out, we'll figure it out. You know, you just figure it out and you keep going forward, you know?
But you keep trying and you end up stretching yourself beyond what you really thought was even possible for yourself. And that goes back to your
[00:16:53] Dennis Littley: blogging. Yeah. I never imagined that I would be this successful and you know, my wildest dreams, we all had these visions of being super successful, but that was always way, way unattainable, you know, illusions of grand or, you know, that I was gonna be.
So the next big thing we always hoped, and I spent a lot of years on, well, I guess it's just not gonna happen, but I'm having fun. You know, this is still good, you know, and there was joy in it, so I'm gonna keep chipping away and it's that. Ability not to give up, which took me again to the next level. It, it, you know, opened a door for me.
It, it, it provided, I mean, the first time someone paid me $75 to do something, I was like dancing in the street. Oh. But you know, I was like, oh my God, oh my God. Someone paid me to write someone, paid me to write, you know, it's this amazing, you know? And, and now the joke is, and my wife will hit me every time I say this.
I don't put pants on for $75. .
[00:17:50] Anne O'Neil: Oh, that's so great. That's so great.
[00:17:52] Dennis Littley: But you know, you start somewhere and you keep building and just again, having friends would talk to me and, and I've always tried. If someone comes to me for help and I know them, you know, we have a relationship. I will spend time trying to help them and make them stronger because I've always been in the mindset that arising tide raises all boats and making people better only helps make you better.
They'll say, what can I do for you? I says, Next time someone asks you for help, give it to them. I said, that's what you can do for me, pay it forward because that's the most important lesson. People. I didn't do this by myself. People have helped me. So
[00:18:28] Anne O'Neil: yes. And you never know where that energy and that positive vibration is going to be coming back to you and oh yeah.
Yeah. I mean, that's just, that's so amazing that you have that. I love that quote. Ugh. And it sounds like through your journey, you've been able to learn so much and give so much at the same time through this growing experience for you.
[00:18:48] Dennis Littley: Well, it's gotta be good for the people around you. It can't be all about you.
I mean, there's enough people that are like that. Mm-hmm but you know, when, when we were sharing, when we were talking about a social media strategy and how to. How to share things on social that says, well, it's gotta be good for them and it's gotta be good for you. It can't be just good for one of you.
You know, I might help you in a situation where it's not really gonna benefit me, cuz I want to help you. But in, in normal life, it's gotta be a benefit for both, for, to really work for it, to really be successful. You know? And again, the other thing I tell people is says, Don't be afraid to talk to your competitor.
Don't think that as a competitor, think of them as possibly being your best friend, because you both share the same problems. You both share the same business and really who else could be your best friend, except someone that does everything that you do.
[00:19:41] Anne O'Neil: That's so right. And you never know when, you know, you team up or you partner, or even just stay in communication with someone like that, what exponentially can evolve from that kind of friendship or partnership.
And I think that's so big as we're in careers and we've been a little bit isolated with COVID and the pandemic. It's kind of drawn us inward. And I think we're kind of seeing the emergence of the connection, whether it's over zoom or YouTube or social media, but really to try to stay connected and help move everyone along on this path.
As we all are trying to figure it out, you know, we don't know exactly what the future looks like, but we all kind of partner together. You never know what you can create
[00:20:19] Dennis Littley: that that's it, you know? And, and the thing that a lot of people forget. With all of our differences. And there's a lot of 'em these days, you know, we're basically still the same people, you know, and.
The ability to set things aside has become very difficult, but food is one of the things that brings people together. And I always tell people, you know, you know, you, you don't have to speak the same language. If you sit at a table with someone by the end of the meal, you're laughing and talking and, you know, trying each other's language and communicating because food is that great bonding tool.
[00:20:54] Anne O'Neil: What just showed up for me right there in that conversation is, you know, it's so ubiquitous. Like it's, it's one of those almost blind spots it's hidden to us because we do it every single day. And it has been here a part of eating since the world began. And this is, you know, this is how we gather, and this is like something that sustains us and invigorates.
Us is, is food. And that's why I was so excited to talk with you. And it did really make me more present of when I was creating food or planning, what I was gonna have for dinner. And I was definitely going through your website and find some awesome recipes that we have to chat about, but just like how.
You know, not present. I was to how often I like do eat and what the nutrients are. And just that again, it's kind of seemed like, oh, it's just something that I always do, but you can really make it a conscious effort. Has that been something you've discovered along the way too? I mean, because you're crafting this amazing art and then, you know, sitting and eating and, you know, really kind of talking about the ingredients and being with people, has that been a conscious, like practice for you?
[00:21:55] Dennis Littley: It's been a conscious practice, but unfortunately. Not as much of me being taking part in the eating, it was me preparing meals for other people and, and trying to really make them happy and, and bring joy to them. Cuz in return that's when I found real happiness, I mean, I, I, I just, that was what really drove me.
Uh, it wasn't any. Success metric any award metric. It was like if I would go out in the dining room and people were quiet and they were eating and I saw them on button and their belts a little bit. Right. Okay. Then I, I said I had done my job, you know,
[00:22:30] Anne O'Neil: that was
[00:22:31] Dennis Littley: so good. I love, you know, it's, it's making, it's just giving them and creating something that they're really going to enjoy.
And
[00:22:37] Anne O'Neil: at the beginning of our conversation here, you know, you talked about trying like carpentry or poetry. Yeah. And this is just another reflection of that, of being able to make a cohesive plate where people, where you see them light up when they're eating it. So I do see that artwork there that you are, you know, sharpening your craft every time and seeing the result of people being so excited about.
[00:23:01] Dennis Littley: That and that said, and it's it's, there was an old, someone taught me early on, people eat with their eyes. Mm. So if it doesn't look attractive, you know, there, they're not gonna, it's not gonna taste as good. Sometimes you've got a mediocre meal, but it just looks amazing like every now and then I get a meal.
It'll be served to me and it'll come out and I just look at it. My wife goes, you're gonna eat. It says, yeah, in a minute, I pick it up and I, I smell it and I just look at it and I appreciate it. And then I eat it. You know, it's like, it just depends. There's you can find joy in food in so many different ways.
Let's talk
[00:23:36] Anne O'Neil: about food. Let's talk about some of these incredible recipes. You know, what have been some of the major fan favorites? I know when I went through the website, the tomato and spinach lasagna was like, it looked amazing, cuz anything that has re ricotta in it, I'm like, mm-hmm I really wanna try that.
So I I've been a vegetarian pescatarian vegan for about 12 years. I just kind of mix it up depending on the time. And I know that you on your website. Are able to categorize so many things and you really care about what people are eating with the nutrients and, you know, being able to like appeal to any kind of audience.
So I'd love for you to chat a little bit about the food and what's been awesome and great reviews. So everything looks y'all go to the website, ask chef dennis.com and check out some of the recipes there. They, they literally look incredible. You can look with your eyes as Dennis is speaking. .
[00:24:24] Dennis Littley: You know, I, I have tried to categorize, like you said, and I did hire a company that has helped me and brought that to my attention that there were more categories I could have.
So I have been doing that. I am. So much of vegetarian or vegan cook. I, I make some things that turn out that way. Mm-hmm, simply because of the recipes. I am not a low carb cook, but I make things, you know, low fat. I, I make recipes not based on the dietary needs, but just basically based on the culinary, you know, Particulars that go into the dish.
Mm-hmm so that's why I never thought about 'em being in other categories. And it says all of a sudden look at all these low fat things I made look at all these low car, someone had said, I wish you do low carbon. I said, you know, I think a lot of the things are low carb. Oh, right. Yeah. You know, naturally, you know, some things I, I don't cook as much vegan as I probably could.
What other fan
[00:25:14] Anne O'Neil: favorites or that you've had the most know reviews and
[00:25:17] Dennis Littley: comments on Terrail Terrail I used to have, uh, you know, I had the number one TSU for many, many years, and then recently, like the New York times has pushed me out. Oh, wow. Okay. Got I know, I knows like they started, oh my gosh. Yeah. You started blogging and they've like killed a lot of us for the top spots in Washington poses, starting, you know, they found out that they could make money sharing.
Recipes, basically other people's recipes on those sites. Right. Right. But Terra, MASU has always been my fan favorite. I get more letters on that. I get more compliments than that. I think I've had, like, I think there's like 2000 comments on it. I just wrote a post on, uh, oven baked baby back ribs and that's taken off.
Wow. That surprisingly, because so many people, you know, they, for years, I never touched ribs because I. Feel proficient. I never had cooked ribs. And then I, my wife loves ribs. So I got tired of buying them for pre-made that were never very good and started making them says, well, this isn't difficult. Let's do this.
Let's do. Then I started applying my other skills and techniques, like, you know, roasting meats, you know, and again, Same thing. I roast vegetables, you know, same kind of philosophy applies different times. That's about it. You know, you're cooking things differently, but you know, the stuff applies. So that's been big.
So a lot of my seafood dishes, people love swordfish. I have a really good swordfish recipe. That's at the top all the time. I have a stuffed, a salmon recipe that's stuffed with the cream cheese and crab meat.
[00:26:44] Anne O'Neil: Oh, I'm thinking about all of these, like the that's flashing through my head about how delicious, like these look and would.
And these are all recipes that can be done in about 30 minutes. Is that
[00:26:54] Dennis Littley: right? Yeah, pretty much. You know, I, I have some, that'll go 40 and then I have some that require like roasting mm-hmm or like, I, I have a, a bowl in a sauce recipe and I tell people minimum three hours. I said, I, I, I just made a marinara sauce with sauces.
My wife lets it's not really marinara it's spaghetti sauce. Marinna is quick. Mm-hmm spaghetti sauce, but I had it on the stove for seven hours. Oh, I
see.
[00:27:16] Anne O'Neil: Yes I had, I
[00:27:17] Dennis Littley: had, I started early on a, on a Sunday morning. And I had it on the stove all day on low and the longer you can keep something like that on the better it gets and the better it gets and like with sauces the next day it's even better.
Oh,
[00:27:31] Anne O'Neil: wow. That sounds amazing. Yeah. I love sauces. I love the curiosity too, to like, you know, always be expanding and trying different things, you know? And you touched upon something that's actually been even another level for you is being a travel food blogger, and you've traveled the world. And you've talked about your beautiful wife and how you guys get to spend time together.
I know the pandemicthrew a little bit of a wrench into that, but. Yeah. Where have you gone? And what have you tried? And like, just what have you experienced? Because I love traveling, you know, food markets trying different things in, in different countries. So let's, let's talk a little travel
[00:28:10] Dennis Littley: Paris. Is still my favorite all time city of all time, you know, I just love Paris, but we have been, we were in Spain as another place.
I was, I was in Madrid and I go, I can live here. it was just amazing. And the people, the one thing about it was I'm looking around is they all look like us. They all look, Americans, they look like, you know, they dress the same, you know, you go to France and they've got that civil affair and sophistication, Italy there.
You're. Dressed really cool, you know, fashion, but in, in spirit says, oh man, they look just like us and 11 o'clock at night streets are packed and everybody's happy. It's like New York, but everybody's happy.
[00:28:49] Anne O'Neil: Right, right. Yes. There is like a certain vibe and maybe it's cuz they took that little, like a siesta in the middle of afternoon, but, or that they're drinking sangria, every, every meal.
And I'm like, I love, I just love those different cultures and oh, that's so great. I love which red I've been to. Lona too. Yeah. Have you been to that amazing market? The LA Boca? Yes. Where everything's fresh. Yep. Fruits, vegetables, everything. It's just amazing. Have you been to a few of those incredible markets
[00:29:16] Dennis Littley: or we have, we got lucky.
Like I, I, when we went to Madrid and Barcelona, each city sent me on tours with, with a guide and they always take you to those markets and, you know, eating, uh, I had, I, I'm not a big fan of octopus, but I always, whatever you put in front of me, I will. And I will, I'll an open mind. So they sounded me this one place, and this says, we're have an octopus.
And I went, okay, came out this huge tentacle and I'm looking at it and going, oh my God, it was fabulous. It was the best, one of the best things I've ever eaten in my life, just because I. Someone cooked it the right way. Mm. You know, and again, you know, I went out on a shrimp boat. Well, they weren't out, but I watched an auction and then they took me on the boat.
They said, now we're gonna grill you some shrimp that we just caught. So on the boat, they grilled shrimp that they had just caught and I'm eating shrimp. You want more shrimp? You want like, oh my God, I sit there all night and you shrimp. And now I think that's enough for now. oh,
[00:30:09] Anne O'Neil: I can't imagine.
[00:30:10] Dennis Littley: Crush that was, oh yeah, those beautiful red Scampy they have this shrimp, they have, um, Greece, we ate, I, I went out with a friend and I had known a friend in blogging that we had never met and we were going to a town Nao and she says, my husband, and I would like to take you out.
You want to go to a tourist spot or a local? I says, oh no, a local. So I say, what's the special? And the owner does one minute. He goes, get the chef, this real big guy, robust, smiling, happy. And he brings out a side of a whole. Whole side. Oh my gosh. And he's showman, he's slapping it, you know, he's slap and he's laughing and he's holding it up.
And I say, I gotta get a picture of this. And I went back in the kitchen and he's just so happy making me food you. And that's where I say joy. Right? Right. You know, if you go in a restaurant and the staff, the wait staff doesn't look happy, it' probably not gonna be the best meal you ever had, but that joy has gotta radiate from the kitchen, whether it's.
Business or in your home. And that translates to other people's happiness.
[00:31:11] Anne O'Neil: Wow. What a great little piece of advice there. A great tip for all the different times. You're in a restaurant. Yeah. Joy radiates. And they're excited about what they're doing and what they're cooking. That is amazing. Well, congratulations again to you growing the blog so much that now you get to be a travel blog.
Are all those incredible countries and you know, you're growing as a person, but even going to. Countries you expand just by being somewhere new. Yeah. And then, then you have the flavors of all these incredible new dishes. I just, I just love that because, you know, we did, we talked before, um, this conversation about growth mindset and it's one of those things that putting yourself in a new situation, expanding even into your technology and blogging.
You just never know what's around the corner. Yeah. When you try something out. Yeah. And,
[00:31:56] Dennis Littley: and it doesn't mean that everything's gonna work or everything's gonna be a good fit, but you gotta give it a try. Hmm. You know, I, I, I was always told you need to try something three times to make sure, you know, it's just not right for you.
And cuz I, I know the first time we went to Rome. Yeah. It was Rome. I mean, how are you not gonna like it? Right. really didn't like Rome because it was where we stayed. The next time we stayed near the Spanish steps and we fell in love with Rome.
[00:32:24] Anne O'Neil: You know that that's a great quote too, because you usually hear about I'll try anything once, but you said, give it three times three, three times.
I'm gonna take that with me and try things out three times.
[00:32:33] Dennis Littley: Yeah. And then after three times, then you can honestly say. No, it sucks. I don't like it.
[00:32:40] Anne O'Neil: all right. Okay. All right. Well, Dennis, I, I mean, I feel like I could talk to you for hours and hours. All of these like food, the recipes, your travel experiences, everything is just so cool.
And I'm just, I feel like I'm, I'm kind of on this ride and adventure with you, so I know I could talk forever, but thank. I wanna be responsible for your time and wanted to get into something that's very near and dear to your heart, which is the food banks. Yes. And we pulled up, um, feeding america.org.
They have over 200 food banks listed in there for resources. And one of the biggest things I noticed by researching this. Was that the pandemic really, really hit so many people. There was over 53 million people that turned to food banks just in 2021. So I'd love to hear your experience with them. I'm sure you've had a lot over the years with different food banks and giving back and volunteering your incredible time.
Yeah.
[00:33:32] Dennis Littley: I've made my living with food. So that has always been my number one charity mm-hmm , you know, whether it's the food bank, whether it's, uh, like I said, a, um, a mission or whether it's just, you know, somehow to give back the grocery stores always have those little coupons, you can buy for $5, $1, $3 of $5.
They're they're not picky give 'em a dollar, a dollar helps. Right. But you know, I'll grab one and grab the $5 one and ring it up or whatever it is, every time you go through. Now I see some of our places are rounding. Like I think I was in CVS and they were rounding, uh, for the food bank. So it's 83 cents.
You're making an even dollar. So, and it may not seem like much, but all those sets that up.
[00:34:11] Anne O'Neil: Right. Like you said, it's, it's almost like we're unaware of eating every day or three times a day. And there's other people that, you know, they called it food insecure on the website. Yeah. And so that you don't know where your next meal is coming from.
So just even the conscious act of, you know, if you have extra food that you can take to a food bank, donate your time volunteering. And then I love Dennis what you said, you know, a lot of the grocery stores or. CVS Walgreens, those kinds of things do have those where you can give the extra 13 cents or 25 cents, you know, to a food bank.
And it all does add up. So we always say that even if we post on social media about feeding america.org, mm-hmm, , you know, it's, at least it's always bringing awareness and consciousness to, you know, to see what else is out there and that others are, are doing that.
[00:34:55] Dennis Littley: Yeah. I mean, I, I shop a lot on Amazon and even on Amazon, If you're in there one area, you can, you, they will donate a portion.
They have to donate anyway. So you get to pick what charities mm-hmm. So an Amazon might go to pet alliances because that's the other thing that I, you know, I, that I'm big on too.
[00:35:11] Anne O'Neil: We love, we love pets too.
[00:35:13] Dennis Littley: I know, I know. So, you know, those are always been my two major charities that I try to, to give to, you know, I, I don't feel bad.
I don't give to others cause I try to give it all to like the ones mm-hmm that really are nearest and dearest to my.
[00:35:26] Anne O'Neil: Well, Dennis, let's finish up. And where can everybody find you? I've mentioned a little bit about your website, but I wanna make sure everybody can find you, cuz they're gonna wanna go see these recipes, your cool travel pictures and just that you're such a fun person and so relatable to come hang out with you.
Thank
[00:35:41] Dennis Littley: you. Well, my blog is ask chef dennis.com and on social media, you can find me as ask chef Dennis just about everywhere. I'm on tech doc. I don't have a big presence there yet. I'm still working on that one. I'm old. And I'm like still trying to grasp the, these, some of these new technologies stuff. I.
But again, it's time, time is everything, but yes, uh, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, you'll see all kinds of cool things. Wow. All
[00:36:06] Anne O'Neil: right. Uh, well, I'm already following you because again, I was drawn to you who you are as a person you're just such a wonderful light and your story and journey is so incredible because you just keep on growing and expanding.
And like you said, giving back in the same ways when people need that help. And that's just wonderful. I'm so, uh, thankful that you've been on this show. Thank you so much for being. It is my
[00:36:28] Dennis Littley: pleasure, Ann, thank you so much for having me.
[00:36:36] Anne O'Neil: Well, thank you so much for listening to our conversation. If you have a GBL story in your life, share it with me on Instagram at get busy living. Underscore pod. I might just share your story on a future episode. Thank you for sharing in the good vibes and giving back and ging with us.