After graduating from Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Chicago and achieving chef status, Cynthia Gallero-Greer announced that she will be once again starting up her business, Katharos Catering, which she operates out of the Niles Entrepreneurial Culinary Incubator at 219 N. Fourth St.
The chef, who is known for perfectionism and turning fresh, pure ingredients into something delicious, said she was excited to return.
“I’m excited about coming back to Niles, because I have a vision for Niles,” Greer said.
Even during her own graduation celebration, Greer worked behind the scenes to put the finishing touches on food Oct. 29 at the Bell Building in Niles.
As silver colored platters, emitting smells of freshly cooked chicken with white wine sauce, braised salmon with an Asian sauce and Greer’s famous mashed potatoes were hustled into the dining room and placed across a tower of pink and white frosted cupcakes, Greer watched with the eye of an eagle to make sure that everything was perfect.
While she prepared a kale salad with raspberry vinaigrette, she directed a staff member on the precise amount of feta needed on the salad and reminded staff to keep an eye on the quickly emptying plates.
As she caught her breath, Greer reflected on what drove her to follow her passion for cooking and pursue a degree at the Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts.
Greer’s passion for cooking started when she was just a child who loved to help her grandmother prepare meals in the kitchen, whether making simple tea cakes or Thanksgiving dinner. Greer said this is when she developed her knack for making delicious food.
Part of her intuition came from knowing what needs to be added to a dish, without looking at a recipe.
“I learned how to cook by flavor and not by measurement,” Greer said.
Before she went to school, Greer had taken up catering, a job she said she loved even though she felt she had so much to learn. During one catering event, Greer was getting compliments from just about everyone on the food. But then a customer suddenly asked her: “Well, what makes you a chef? Is this just a hobby or yours?”
It was these questions that challenged her to take her passion for cooking to the next level.
“I looked at it as a compliment and an insult,” Greer said. “I’m going to go to school, because this is not a hobby and I am a chef.”
In the time she spent earning her degree, Greer said she found many amazing mentors, who still inspire her in the kitchen. She also learned how to cook for a variety of dietary restrictions.
Her business’ name, “Katharos,” is derived from the Bible, Greer said, and means pure. It is an apt name for a business which aims to use fresh ingredients that are as healthy as they are delicious.
Now that she is back in Niles, Greer said, she hopes to one day open up a farm to table restaurant and work with vendors to keep all her ingredients local.
“Everything that goes into our body should be clean and healthy,” Greer said. “I want to pool clients from the surrounding towns … and help build up Niles. We have an awesome downtown and every day I drive downtown and I dream.”
Until then, Greer said she looks forward to doing what she loves with her catering business.
“I love what I do and I love catering to people and I love to see people happy,” Greer said. “I love to see people smile.”