DinnerSmith got great press!!!

February 16, 2008

Meal-prep firm caters to special diets
by Johanna Ginsberg
Staff Writer

NJ Jewish News


Sisters Sharon Grey and Fran Valle, together with Mary Smith, opened Dinnersmith, a “meal prep” outlet that’s happy to accommodate customers who follow vegetarian and other special diets, in May.

This hot spot on Maplewood’s Springfield Avenue,
located just across the way from the soon-to-be-closed
Rabbi L. Sky Bookstore, is the talk of the virtual town
on Maplewood Online.

It’s part of the growing number of “meal prep”
establishments around the country and in New Jersey,
where customers prepare their own meals from fresh
ingredients under the guidance of the proprietors.
(Easymealprep.com lists 1,411 meal preparation
companies nationally, including 18 in the Garden State.)



With no rabbinic certification, it’s not kosher. But
Dinnersmith accommodates those who follow vegetarian
and other diets and is developing a customer base among
those who keep a lenient form of kashrut. Two of the
owners — Sharon Grey and Fran Valle — are sisters who
grew up in a strictly kosher home on Long Island; they
understand the ins and outs of kashrut, they said, and
will go the distance for this clientele. And
Dinnersmith is becoming a popular stop for Reform
synagogue gatherings: Events were planned in February
for Temple Sharey Tefilo-Israel in South Orange and
Temple Sha’arey Shalom in Springfield.

(Grey belongs to Sha’arey Shalom; Valle was until
recently a member of Congregation Beth El in South
Orange. Their partner Mary Smith is a member of an
Episcopal church in South Orange.)



For the newbies, here’s how Dinnersmith works. You drop
in, wash your hands, grab a never-before-used
container, follow some simple instructions, and prepare
your entree. Consider pecan-crusted tilapia, vegetarian
chili, or southwest strata, a sort of Mexican
casserole. Ingredients are pre-chopped and sit in small
plastic containers complete with measuring spoons. One
of the owners stands by your side and talks you through
the recipe — or chats with you about the day’s news. It
takes about 15 minutes to prepare each entree.

It’s fun, it’s fast, and when you’re done, you have a
delicious entree with no grocery shopping, no unused
ingredients to worry about, no chopping, and no mess in
your kitchen to clean up. All you have to do is take it
home and cook it according to the directions (or pop it
in the fridge or freezer for later use).

Nothing is cooked; nothing is premixed. You control
every ingredient that goes into the dish. The owners
cover the counters in plastic if requested. They show
you the labels and substitute ingredients if you ask.
There are always vegetarian entrees and fish entrees on
the menu. And every entree comes with two sides, a
vegetable and a starch — also uncooked. Everything goes
into a foil container or plastic bag that has not been
used before. The owners said they are considering
purchasing separate knives.



Plastic containers hold the already-chopped
ingredients, and customers use plastic measuring cups.
Customers do any mixing in large stainless steel bowls
that may have been used for other ingredients.
(However, all containers and utensils go through the
180-degree dishwasher cycle between recipes.)

Recipes change monthly; drop-ins are welcome, but
reserve in advance to choose your entrees. The price is
$25 per entree ($20 for more than 12 meals); each feeds
four-six people.



Dinnersmith is located at 1908 Springfield Ave. in
Maplewood. Contact the establishment at 973-763-2333 or
via email.
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This article was written by a reporter for The NJ Jewish News who did not know anything about us before the interview. She came back after the interview and made a meal for her family. When she was finished, her face lit up and she completely understood DinnerSmith. We did not pay for this article. We just did what we do every day. Take care of customers as best as we can. Finding and preparing the best quality food we can find. Creating in the kitchen a menu we love to share. Sharing what we know about food and families,