Cheftimony Episode 019 – Cook Out!
“It’s all about cooking in small spaces and wide-open places. Enter my new friend, Bart Cops the Camper Chef.”
Today I return – virtually at least – to the Mojave Desert, one of my very favourite places to be. This time though, the conversation has very little to do with Las Vegas. Instead, it’s all about cooking in small spaces and wide-open places. Enter my new friend, Bart Cops the Camper Chef.
Bart and I connected on Instagram, and I’m really glad we did. Camper Chef is Bart’s two-year-old initiative to teach people about the possibility and the joys of cooking on the road. Originally from Belgium, Bart came to cooking by necessity when he took his three children on a months-long roadtrip in an Airstream trailer and realised on Day 1 that he wasn’t going to be taking them to restaurants three meals a day.
Instead, Bart reached out to friends in Europe for some recipe advice and quickly learned how to put together delicious meals in small spaces. Now, he travels the country connecting with locals, sharing his expertise and learning from the people he meets. I loved that Bart and I share the philosophy that human connection is what it’s all about – talk to people, and great things can happen. (we also share an occasional thought about heading to the drive-through for dinner, but Bart has some great strategies on how to overcome such thoughts…!)
Bart talks about dishes we can all put together quickly whether at home, in a tent, or traveling on a motorcycle, and I particularly liked his mussel and pasta dish which he says I must cook for my fiancée to ensure that the wedding goes ahead as planned! Which reminds me… we’ve finally planned a quick honeymoon which will see us traveling to Galiano Island for a relaxing few days, including dinner at Pilgrimme. I can’t tell you how excited I am to experience this restaurant, and of course I’ll be back with a full menu report.
Right now, though, join me in a talk all the way down in Summerlin, Nevada with the Camper Chef himself!