By Pamela Brownstein
Imagine not having to think about the question asked by hungry family members every night: What’s for dinner? With Gourmet on Wheels, the planning, the shopping, the cooking is all done for you then conveniently delivered to your house in ready-to-eat meals.
Owner Tony Makar said he knows that when people hear “personal chef” they think it will be expensive and unrealistic. But the service that he offers is very affordable and saves money compared to the cost of the grocery store or eating out at a restaurant.
Tony, who lives on Lady’s Island, is proud that Gourmet on Wheels is celebrating four years in January and remains committed to bringing healthy, home-cooked meals to people’s homes.
He believes in using low or no sea salt, unsalted butter, sugar substitutes, olive oil and herbs when cooking. He gets veggies from local farmers markets and seafood from Sea Eagle Market.
With experience in nursing home administration, Tony described Gourmet on Wheels as a marriage between his background in food and beverage and health care to create a handy, useful service.
“We help people eat healthy and live out of their homes,” he said.
Every Monday, Tony and his team take over the kitchen at Lady’s Island Country Club and prepare all the meals to be delivered Tuesday. The giant portions are served in easy microwaveable and freezable containers.
Loyal client and local paralegal Andrea Smith said, “You may think the service expensive at first look, but when you boil it down, ordering from Gourmet on Wheels saves me money. I don’t have to turn on the stove, cleanup is usually a plate and a fork, I no longer have to think about what I am going to eat as I always have a variety of foods waiting for me, and the meals are delivered directly to me.”
Some of Tony’s favorite seasonal meals to prepare include pork tenderloin stuffed with spinach and ham, and sausage stuffed acorn squash. He also likes the traditional New Year’s meal with black-eyed peas and collard greens.
With the holiday season here, gift certificates are perfect for busy professionals, elderly singles or couples, new parents or just people who love great taste but don’t have time to eat out or shop and cook.
They also cater to specific requests. “We work around people’s diets,” Tony said.
It’s hard to beat deliciousness right at your doorstep.
How it Works
Go online at gourmetonwheels.org to order your meals or call 843-812-8870 for the menu. You can pick and choose the meals you want and how many, and even order weeks in advance. They deliver to Beaufort, Bluffton and Hilton Head.
