Chris Scheuer

Expertise: 

I've been formally developing and testing recipes for The Café Sucre Farine since 2011... but the journey started long before that. For nearly 50 years, I've been experimenting with ingredients, techniques, and flavor combinations in our home kitchen. My husband Scott has always called me "the little scientist in the kitchen" - a nickname I earned from constantly trying new things, tweaking recipes, and chasing delicious results in an effort to create trusted and tested recipes.

Education: 

• Bachelor of Science in Nursing from UW-Milwaukee
• Studied French Cooking at The Culinary Institute of America - Hyde Park, NY
• Studied Irish Cuisine at The Ballymaloe Cookery School - Shanagarry
Co. Cork Ireland P25 R274
• Studied French Cuisine at Promenades Gourmandes, a cooking school run by Paule Caillat, a native Parisian.
• Studied French Cuisine at Plum Lyon - Lyon, France.
• Studied International Cuisine at Le Foodist - Paris, France.

Cuisines: 

• My recipes reflect an ever-evolving zest for life and an insatiable curiosity about all things culinary.
• I'm inspired by a wide range of cuisines -American, French, Italian, Mediterranean, and Asian flavors all find their way into my kitchen. I guess you could say I love exploring the unique ingredients and taste traditions from around the globe.
• One of my favorite things is discovering something delicious at a restaurant, café, or gourmet market and then heading home to create a copycat version that's just as good (or sometimes even better!).

Location

Asheville, North Carolina

My Story

I grew up with five siblings and a mom who loved to keep things neat and tidy. That meant we could help with little tasks in the kitchen, but she never let us loose on our own - for fear the kitchen would end up in complete chaos!

What she didn't know (or at least what we thought she didn't know) was that the moment she left the house, we'd pull out the pots, pans, and mixing bowls and cook up a storm. You would've laughed if you'd seen how we scurried like little mice to clean the kitchen before she got home! It seems we all shared an insatiable curiosity when it came to food.

It wasn't until my third year of college, though, that I really began to cook seriously and invent my own recipes. I lived in a two-bedroom, one-bath dorm suite with three other students - and no kitchen. But that didn't stop me! I'd often invite my suitemates over for "dinner."

Armed with an electric frying pan and a little hot pot (meant for soup or ramen), I remember making a pineapple upside-down cake in the frying pan, then washing it out and starting an Italian meat sauce in the same pan. I'd let it simmer away until the aroma drove my suitemates a little crazy.

To finish the meal, I'd cook pasta in the hot pot and toss together a salad. A sheet thrown over the bed became our tablecloth - and just like that, a "fine" dining experience was served!

Our Story

Fast forward a few years... and countless meals for family and friends. I met Scott during my final year of college (nursing school). We fell in love in less than an hour and were married eleven months later.

I went on to enjoy a 36-year career as a registered nurse, but that never slowed down my love for cooking. I was always bringing food to the hospital, delivering goodies to neighbors, or inviting friends and family over for dinner. I just couldn't not cook.

People would often say, "You should open a restaurant!" But I always laughed and replied, "That's the last thing on earth I'd ever want to do." You see, running a restaurant means making the same dishes over and over, but my joy comes from experimenting, trying new ideas, and inventing fresh, creative, tested and trusted recipes.

That love for creativity in the kitchen eventually led to something I never imagined: a recipe website.

In 2011, with lots of encouragement from Scott and the rest of the family, The Café Sucre Farine was born. Scott had taught photography and videography and offered to "take the pictures." What began as a simple way to share recipes with our kids, my sisters, and a few close friends has grown into a vibrant online community of home cooks from all over the world who trust us to provide tested and tested recipes. These days, the blog reaches over 120 countries each day!

These Days

We truly love working together. While I work on creating fresh, approachable recipes, Scott, with his natural eye for photography, captures the magic behind the scenes with his camera (and makes my food look good!). We always laugh and say that if I did the photography, no one would visit the blog… and if Scott were the recipe developer... well, let's just say we'd all be in a bit of trouble! So yes, we're wonderfully symbiotic.

We live in the beautiful mountains of North Carolina near Asheville and love having all of our immediate family nearby. Through our heart for relational entertaining we've been blessed with a wonderful community that weaves together both family and friends (who've become like family). Our faith in Jesus Christ and love of His Word sustains us daily. You can read more about my faith journey here. Scott's profile can be found here.

Featured on...

I have developed recipes for KitchenAid, California Avocado Commission, Green and Black's Chocolate, Terra's Kitchen, Marina Del Rey Foods and Parade Magazine but my passion is creating recipes that work for you, our readers, and make your life more enjoyable and delicious.

Thanks so much for stopping by! I'm truly honored that we can share this little corner of the internet. I hope you find inspiration here to create meals that nourish both body and soul… and maybe even spark a few kitchen adventures of your own.

If you try a recipe, I'd love to hear from you! Leave a comment, share a photo, or just drop a note to say hello - we genuinely love connecting with our readers.

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