Hi! I’m James!
So, you’ve stumbled onto DayDishes – welcome to my little corner of the internet where I geek out about all things food!
I’m James Ray, a chef who can’t stop playing with food. I cook it, dream about it, photograph it, and yes, I eat plenty of it too! DayDishes is where all my kitchen adventures land.
How I Got Here
Food has always been my thing. It started in my grandma’s kitchen – the smell of her Sunday pot roast still gets me every time. I was that kid always underfoot, asking “can I stir?” and sneaking tastes when she wasn’t looking.
Eventually, I stopped just eating food and started making it. Culinary school in New York was a wild ride (let’s just say I burned more than a few things). Then I bounced around kitchens across the US – worked at a seafood joint in Seattle, sweated it out in a New Orleans kitchen during summer (bad idea!), and eventually ran my own line in Charleston.
What I’m About
Here’s my food philosophy, nothing fancy:
- Fresh ingredients make everything better
- Food should make you happy, not stressed
- There’s no “right way” – just your way
- Sometimes the best meals happen when you mess up
What’s Cooking Here
On DayDishes, you’ll find stuff I’m excited about – recipes I can’t wait to share, cooking tricks I’ve picked up along the way, and stories about food that made me laugh or cry (yes, I’ve cried over a perfectly roasted chicken – no shame).
Some days it’s quick dinners you can throw together after work. Other days it’s projects that’ll keep you busy all Sunday. Either way, it’s all tested in my very real, often messy kitchen.
When I’m Not Cooking
You’ll probably find me at the farmers market haggling over heirloom tomatoes, road-tripping to find the best hole-in-the-wall taco spot, or forcing my friends to try my latest experiment (they’ve learned to be honest – the hot sauce incident of 2022 taught us all some lessons).
Let’s Hang Out
Drop me a comment, shoot me an email, or tag me in your food pics. Cooking’s more fun when we do it together. Got a disaster in the kitchen? I’ve had worse, trust me. Celebrating a win? I want to high-five you!
Thanks for stopping by. Grab a snack, get comfy, and let’s make some good food happen.
Catch you in the kitchen,
James