Wyckoff Chef, Reality Show Contestant To Release New Cookbook

She was the runner-up on Rachael Ray’s ‘Hey, Can You Cook?!’ show, played a judge on the Food Network/Lipton Tea ‘Chopped’ commercial series with Ted Allen, was a contestant on ‘Cutthroat Kitchen’ starring Alton Brown, and has cooked with and for celebrities such as Giada De Laurentiis, Michael Bublé, Gordon Ramsay and many more.

While Angie Shaghaghi’s resume is certainly one to brag about, she’s more than just a chef. She’s a single mom of three, owner of Creative Cooks, a mobile cooking school for students ages 2-92, and now a soon-to-be author. Her long-awaited cookbook, Join My Table, is set to be published in the next few months as a result of her extremely successful Kickstarter campaign.

“It’s been a whirlwind experience,” said Shaghaghi. “I won’t say that I doubted we could make it, because I truly believe whatever you put your mind, heart and prayers toward, you can achieve. I truly feel blessed.”

Gathering Ingredients

The culinary journey for Shaghaghi, or ‘Chef Angie,’ as her students and friends call her, hasn’t been an easy one. She grew up with humble beginnings in Tarpon Springs, Florida with her four older brothers, sister and parents. It wasn’t an affluent community, but her neighbors on Oakwood Street were rich when it came to sharing good food with friends, and always having a spot at the table for anyone who passed by. Her father was the chef of the family, and she fell in love with food and the whole process of making it at an early age. “For me, a trip to the grocery store with my dad was better than going to any toy store. Food has always fascinated me,” stated Chef Angie. Surrounded by the finest ingredients that grew in her family garden, she knew the importance of eating fresh food since she was a child. Her father taught her a lot about cooking, and she credits him as the original ‘Creative Cook.’

“When I wanted French fries at a young age, I would beg him to take me to McDonalds,” noted Chef Angie. “But I always got the same response. ‘We have potatoes at home.’” And boy did they. Her father taught her how to make good, fresh food that could be served right at the family table.

Adding Flavors

Fast forward many years from getting married to a Persian man, living overseas in places such as Saudi Arabia and Bahrain to Texas and now New Jersey, her world travels and life experiences have shaped Chef Angie into the person she is today. Creating food was always a love affair for her, but it also became an even more important part of her life when she was left to care for her three young children alone, as well as her mother who was failing in health. She turned her passion into a business by offering cooking lessons for kids at her home in Wyckoff when she was just starting out. “I think I was spending more on ingredients than what I was charging for classes, but I knew I had to start somewhere,” she explained. With her bubbly and flavorful personality, she made cooking fun for all ages, and word quickly spread that her self-taught cooking talents were the real deal.

Shaghaghi made lifelong friendships and connections through many Wyckoff parent groups, and evolved her business into Creative Cooks, which has become an extremely successful cooking and catering company over the last thirteen years. She credits never giving up and always willing to offer anyone and everyone a “plate,” as her father would say. One of the mothers she met through the Wyckoff group was Erika Kao. “We never met formally but recognized each other in a pizza place one day and Angie started talking to me. We kept in touch, and I hired her for my daughter’s birthday party. She’s phenomenal with kids and very entertaining and engaging. I was really happy to be a supporter of her Kickstarter campaign.”

“Food has really opened a lot of doors and made lots of connections for me,” said Chef Angie. “And my father always told me that there should be a place at the table for everyone.”

Plating for Friends

On October 16th, Chef Angie hosted a celebratory dinner at the Trinity Episcopal Church in Allendale to thank some of her friends and supporters. The feeling was mutual throughout the room that Shaghaghi is the most deserving person of her success. Larry Keary and his wife Noelle have known Angie since their daughters were in sixth grade together. “We love her and don’t know anyone who works harder than she does. This is such an exciting moment,” said Larry.

“I’ve talked to her about writing a cookbook since I’ve known her,” added Noelle. “And I fell in love with her before I really knew her because of her inspirational writing on Facebook. Everything was always so insightful and spiritual, and I admired her values about family and faith.”

Marla Bosyk, another friend who has known Chef Angie for many years since their kids were little, said, “We still enjoy hanging out as families, and now I help her out with her cooking programs after school. I’m so proud that she’s finally doing this and I want to hear her stories.” Janis Caterinicchia, who works with Chef Angie’s Creative Cooks business, can’t wait for the book either. “I work as her sous chef when she teaches children. I slice, I dice, I wash…I’ve learned a lot from her since we’ve worked together, and I’m looking forward to all her recipes.”

Something for Everyone

Chef Angie’s cookbook will be more than just a typical cookbook. It will feature stories behind the recipes and what served as her inspiration for creating each one. In fact, one chapter will even be dedicated to people who have food allergies. “No one should miss out just because they can’t eat certain things,” explained Chef Angie. “I found out the hard way that my son was allergic to all tree nuts. I decided to use my creativity to put together recipes that would be safe for him and others, to help them feel included.”

Marin Greene, a colleague who attended Chef Angie’s October 16th dinner, said she recently had Shaghaghi as a guest cook in her home. She won a gift certificate through her children’s school to receive a hands-on cooking demonstration. “Angie knows that we have some food allergies in our family, and she’s very good at managing them. She’s so in tune to other people’s needs, and this cookbook is going to include dishes that everyone will be able to enjoy around the table together.”

Her Next Dish

In addition to writing her cookbook, Chef Angie’s next venture is partnering with Chef Kenneth Collins, owner of Tour Catering, Inc. and classic Italian sandwich shop, Salumi Kitchen, in Lodi, New Jersey. “I’m excited to work with someone who has the same passion for food as I do,” relayed Shaghaghi. “And partnering with him on his gourmet delivery service, ‘What’s for Dinner Club,’ will be a fun, new kind of business for me.”

And Chef Kenneth echoed the same feelings. “I think she’s very courageous in what she’s doing in regards to her cookbook, and I’m looking forward to our new collaboration. Half the battle of working with someone is understanding how they think, and she’s very motivated and driven, so we’re very much alike.”

The ‘What’s for Dinner Club’ is a service specializing in fresh, healthy food options that will be brought right to your door. “All you need is to reheat, and dinner is served,” said Collins. The program is designed for busy people and families who want delicious, healthy, flavorful meals delivered right to their kitchen table.

How Sweet it is

One of the recipes that will appear in Chef Angie’s first chapter, titled ‘Oakwood Table,’ is her ‘Granny’s Sweetie Pie,’ which is a twist on the old sweet potato pie. It was passed down for generations, from her grandmother, to her dad and then her. With this recipe, as well as many others, she takes something traditional and adds her own modern spin. And she always encourages others to make their own modifications. “I tell my three kids, while recipes bring out memories, you should be able to find yourself through food and do what’s right for you,” said Shaghaghi. She served this dish at her celebratory dinner, which was met with immense praise. Kevin Fuhr, who’s wife Susan has been friends with Chef Angie for many years, said, “I’ve been able to sample many of Angie’s dishes over time, and we’d like to be able to replicate that with her cookbook at home.”

A Table for All

Chef Angie’s Join My Table will have a little something for everyone, from the Nut-Free table, to the World Table, featuring dishes from her travels, as well as feeding a large or small number of guests around the table. While her three children are nearly grown now, she knows that soon her table will likely be smaller, but she’s ok with that and is excited for the future…and so are her kids. Her son Amir said, “She worked really hard all these years, and she really deserves what’s coming. I feel like she really connects with people just like my grandad, not only through food, but through conversations. She becomes friends with just about everyone she meets. And even if you don’t like cooking, she’ll make you like cooking.” Chef Angie’s daughter, Arianna, added, “We’re all so proud of her, and we were so happy to see her friends at the dinner who have become like family to us. It’s great how they’ve supported her the whole way. We’ve always believed in her, and now is the perfect time to do this. I know my grandad would have loved to see this happen, so it’s even more of a special honor.”

Earlier this year, Shaghaghi’s father, Clarence Davis Sr., suddenly passed away. Since Chef Angie is very much a believer in numbers, she started the Kickstarter campaign on her father’s birthday and ended it on her oldest daughter Arianna’s 22nd birthday. Though she may never have the opportunity again for him to physically join her table, she has the privilege of serving family and friends at her father’s table in her own kitchen. “My original childhood table was recently flown from Tarpon Springs to Wyckoff,” said Chef Angie. “It was bittersweet, but as I look at it each day now, I realize my father is always with me. I remember the amazing conversations we had around it, and look forward to many new memories and people joining my table.” A photo of the table will also be front and center on the cover of her cookbook, Join My Table.

In a few short months, Chef Angie invites everyone to join her on her journey, and at her table for an adventure of culinary delights at every twist and turn. Though her road has had a lot of ups and downs, they’ve led her straight to where she was meant to be all along – serving dinner at her father’s table, where his legacy will live on forever.