Nick, Ingredient

For Nick, cooking is a sensory experience—and he encourages home cooks to think of it that way, too. “When you taste and smell and really look at what you’re making, it’s hard to mess up in the kitchen,” he says. He also reminds home cooks that they’re in control: “If something is burning, turn down the heat!”

Nick started working in restaurants when he was 14. After college, he worked in bakeries before studying at the International Culinary Center in the Bay Area. That led to stints working in fine dining, and upon moving back to Minnesota, he owned and operated a restaurant for five years. Today, as a Pillsbury Chef/Recipe Author, Nick enjoys every aspect of being in the kitchen and creating delicious recipes.

“I enjoy working with my hands, and I like the sounds and movements in the kitchen,” he says. “It can feel very meditative, almost like a dance, especially when you’re doing it with other people. In fact, I like actually being in the kitchen more than the end result of having a completed dish.”