Last Updated June 17th, 2023 at 07:35 pm by Lisa
Hey Everyone, I'm Lisa Hatfield, and Welcome to Delicious Table®...
Let's throw a party this Summer in my Southern California kitchen! Maybe a juicy Cheeseburger dripping with Burger Sauce? Would like a side of Baked Beans and Potato Salad? And help yourself to a big slice of Ice Cream Cake or patriotic Flag Cake this July 4th!
I feature everyday American comfort food, simple family dinner recipes, and holiday food. You will find amazing ideas for Thanksgiving, Christmas Dinner, Halloween, Easter, July 4th, and so much more. Can you tell I love the holidays? I like to keep my recipes fun, bright, and happy. And most of all EASY for everyone! ❥
And here I am making a Christmas Bundt Cake, super cute and fun for the holidays...and Sassy Girl of course makes an appearance! And then all of my recipe videos.
Visit the Press Page for interview features with Lisa | Delicious Table®
Lisa Hatfield Professional Background
Now that we got the food covered, a bit about me. I have been cooking seriously for over 30 years with a strong professional culinary training background, and thousands of recipes in my collection. I come from a food family. We have high school food teachers, home economists, cooking instructors, home chefs, grilling and BBQ lovers, bakers, and even a cookbook author & food stylist!
While working in the highly competitive tech industry in executive sales for over 25+ years, my cooking passion really took hold. After long days on the road traveling, and eating out. I would relax from the stress by cooking, taking classes, and entertaining at home. Most importantly, testing new recipes on everyone!
My home became the gathering place for holidays and parties. Little did I know, all those years ago that would lead me to an online culinary business, Delicious Table®.
Over the years, I made cherished family recipes and created many new ones. All are very well-tested. My Mom (High School Foods Teacher) and Aunt (5-time cookbook author and on-camera/tv commercial food stylist) would be quite pleased as they taught me how to write and test recipes professionally.
I sharpened my culinary skills to new levels with countless cooking courses. And read cookbooks as books. Because I never finish actual books. Can anyone relate? Cooking became my passion, mission, and a life blessing.
My Favorite Food People
As Julia Childs actually said, “This is my invariable advice to people: Learn how to cook—try new recipes, learn from your mistakes, be fearless, and above all have fun." What a fantastic philosophy!
“People who love to eat are always the best people.” So true Julia.
I had the great joy of meeting Julia in 1997. We are both from the same hometown, Pasadena California. And my Aunt spent 6 weeks with Simone Beck in Paris cooking with her in her home, as the Cordon Bleu school was full and this was her "fallback plan". Simone co-wrote Mastering The Art Of French Cooking with Juila, so I bet my Aunt got some incredible cooking tips working with Simone!
Who grew up watching Food Network? I did. And my all-time favorite is Ina Garten. Her recipes work every time. Her style is simple, yet so elegant. I got to see her speak a few years ago, and she is delightfully funny and wonderful in person. And her giggles are legendary.
"I love to take something ordinary and make it really special." Ina Garten
What a great philosophy. I strive to do the same thing with my food Ina.
How Delicious Table® Started
Delicious Table® got its start on a Girl’s getaway weekend in Palm Springs many years ago. During happy hour (and wine), my wonderful, cheeky friends "dared me", and then convinced me to publish my recipes online. At first, I laughed. But they were serious. And I thought what the heck?
So, I built my site in 21 days working late into the night. And if you told me I would build a website one day, I would never believe you. With thanks and deep gratitude to Lindsay and Bjork over at Pinch of Yum, my dream launched. Their Food Photography Course* literally changed my life. And I highly recommend you start with great photos and start learning the blogging business!
*note: I might earn a tiny commission if you purchase the Pinch of Yum Food Photography Course.
That weekend, I joked around about a meatball recipe I had that was a "Marry Me Guarantee". My friends wanted that recipe! And funny enough, after they talked me into blogging, they all get married! LOL. Not sure it was really the meatballs.
Cooking Career Growth
I published my first recipe for my Baked Turkey Meatballs (warning those are the original blog photos!) in May 2015. Of course, at the time, no one cared. But the ball was rolling. And I was now part of a wonderful food community. Lifetime friendships were built. A new dream launched.
At that point, I had Chefs mentoring me. And I learned a lot. They were tough on me, but it was worth the harsh words, and yelling. LOL Just kidding Chef! But I got better at my craft, and much more professional. And learned how to hold a Chef's knife properly, from a REAL French Chef. Chef Fournier...
Food Blogger Life
Like anyone with a passion, my obsession with culinary gadgets, equipment, cookbooks, photography equipment, styling props, and a ridiculous recipe collection grew rapidly. I carefully organized all my recipes into binders and then started posting a recipe or two a week online. And at that time took an incredible Food Photography Workshop from Lindsay at Pinch of Yum, at her studio. I was totally star-struck!
As the years went on, I found myself judging all kinds of food at the OC County Fair. To this day, I don't think I was qualified to judge but that's another story. I did my best, but it was a humbling experience. At that time I had just started my online blog.
Then, I entered several live cooking competitions judged by Orange County Chefs. All the while, producing content for Delicious Table®.
One was onstage with a live audience at the OC Fair, yikes! It was so nerve-wracking but I did it. I made a Lobster BLT for the panel of Chef judges. Talk about intimidating. And somehow it took a first place blue ribbon. And my confidence in my food grew stronger.
Then in some more pro cooking class competitions, both our teams won. I was pushing myself way out of my comfort zone for sure. I loved cooking on culinary teams, what a thrill!
And today I still push to learn, grow and produce the best possible recipes and content for the millions of people who follow along here! Thank you from the bottom of my grateful heart. You all are simply the best.
Culinary Adventures
When not cooking and creating content, my other passions include entertaining friends and family around my pool sipping cold drinks, and laughing of course. I enjoy gardening in my tropical backyard jungle and trying to grow herbs and vegetables. I relax hiking local trails, indulge in home design projects, and always look forward to my next adventure travel adventure around the world.
My last few trips were an African Safari that changed my life. Hiking Machu Picchu Peru even though I had no business doing that, and two weeks traveling in the intoxicating country of Cuba. I took a last-minute trip to St. Croix for NYE with great friends and just took a cruise from Aruba, to Columbia, and traversed the Panama Canal. Taking cooking classes and touring the local farmer's markets are always on my checklist for trips. You can learn so much from people and their food.
My favorite souvenirs are always the memories of the people and excitement of cooking classes learning about new ingredients and techniques and the walks through farmer's markets in distant lands. You can read all about those in my Culinary Adventures.
Southern California Food
In addition to dinner recipes, and holiday party food, there are dozens of California Food recipes on Delicious Table. Try this REAL Green Goddess Dressing was all the rage in Los Angeles in the 1970s. In-N-Out Copycat Burger Sauce, Cheeseburgers (yep they are Californian), Ranch Dressing, and THE Original Cobb Salad recipe. I am so passionate about all the great food from California, and many recipes are in the works.
I live in Orange County, Southern California with a spunky blue-eyed Shih Tzu, named Sassy, and love the Coastal beach lifestyle. Sassy's favorite recipes are healthy, personalized Doggie Cookies and Homemade Dog Food Dinner that Mommy lovingly cooks for her. And yes, she is super duper spoiled. Okay, enough about me. Bye!