How to Cook Like Mom -- Chef creates cookbook for sons and those interested in getting into the kitchen

Mar. 24—Gina Simmonds cooks with her kids in mind.

It isn't unusual to see Simmonds standing in front of her stove at any point of the day, with rolling mountains just outside her window. Experimenting with various spices, herbs and techniques, Simmonds makes her ideas come to life, creating recipes that are fun, easy and unique.

Each recipe she creates in mind to send to her two sons, and each recipe they can cook with their friends and families now.

For Simmonds, the kitchen is a space to be creative, it is a space to go outside of the box and it is a space that anyone can utilize.

A direct letter to her two sons, Simmond's cookbook "How to Cook Like Mom," uses what she has learned in the kitchen to encourage a new class of kitchen enthusiasts. By extension, the book is a letter to all those who are interested in getting into the kitchen helping them expand their abilities by teaching them to be adaptable and learn to enjoy cooking.

"I really want you two to think of the kitchen as the heartbeat of your home," Simmonds wrote to her two sons, Grant and Cole, in the introduction to her book. "Have fun, make memories, and learn how to create great food."

When entering the Simmonds' household on a spring day in March, one can find that her setup is worth an audience. Her table boasts an array of colors, with a fresh arugula salad, homemade bruschetta with white vinegar, creamy chicken and a fluffy, bright pavlova.

It is a place for people to come together, and the art of cooking is a technique to build community, confidence and one's curiosity about the world around them.

Simmonds moved to Whitefish in 2019 from California, where her husband was stationed with the Marine Corps. Both sons, now in their late 20s and early 30s, also serve in the Armed Forces, living out of state.

Amid a childhood of travel, moves and deployments, Simmonds sought to be a constant for her sons — often, that translated into spending time in the kitchen.

The passion wasn't always there, Simmonds said. As a kid, Simmonds recognized that her mother was a great cook, but she never picked up the interest herself.

It wasn't until Simmonds married her husband, Paul, after college that she realized she knew nothing about cooking. The switch to caring for cooking was strong, and Simmonds dove fully into the kitchen on a quest to understand flavor profiles, how to accurately stock a pantry and how to get creative with ingredients.

In the early 2000s, Simmonds became a personal chef, expanding her interests and comfort in kitchens. From hosting groups to cooking for a party of four, Simmonds' passion for cooking continued to grow, in turn expanding her son's interests as well.

When Grant and Cole left for college, Simmonds found herself sending her sons countless recipes for them to try to cook alone. As the recipes accumulated, and as the boys spread them out among friends, Simmonds heard a growing demand: people want to know how to cook like mom.

The idea of actually creating a cookbook, Simmonds said, came when her youngest son, Grant, asked her to make one for him. From that point forward, a cookbook was on her mind as a possibility.

"The kitchen should be a place where you're experiencing the cooking process and you're appreciating what you're doing in there," Simmonds said. Rather than throwing things together, understanding the process is important when trying to improve your cooking overall.

Over a few years, Simmonds carefully crafted recipes that her sons and their friends could replicate. She credits her husband, Paul, as her biggest supporter through the writing process. In a way, the book is a showcase of the Simmonds family.

It is not a book to be directly copied, she said, but rather a book to draw ideas from. The goal, she said, would be for young adults to feel more capable, comfortable and creative when cooking.

"It's a good quality to have, especially as a young adult," she said.

The cookbook features gluten-free recipes, but all the recipes can be customized.

To have a functional kitchen, an individual needs a certain group of items: spices, mixing bowls, cooking spray, oil and vinegar. The book begins with a stocking basics page, outlining what would be beneficial to keep in a pantry to cook with more ease.

The book takes the reader through a multitude of genres: breakfast, soups and sides, mains and desserts. From cheeseburger macaroni, chicken saltimbocca, and huevos rancheros to monster cookies, Simmond's recipes are simply explained, each with a designated "mom tip."

Over the past two years since the book was originally released, Simmonds has received photos of people trying her recipes and positive feedback on how people approach their kitchens now.

Simmonds still cooks every day, despite not working as a private chef any longer. She occasionally leads cooking classes at Trovare in Whitefish, where her book is sold as well.

"I want people to know that they can make anything on any budget and enjoy their time in the kitchen," she said.

For more information, visit https://ginasimmonds.com/.

Reporter Kate Heston can be reached at kheston@dailyinterlake.com or 758-4459.

Gina Simmonds, author of "How to Cook Like Mom," cooks in her kitchen in Whitefish on March 21, 2024. (Kate Heston/Daily Inter Lake)

Gina Simmonds, author of "How to Cook Like Mom," often hosts friends and family for meals at her home in Whitefish. (Kate Heston/Daily Inter Lake)

Bruschetta made by cookbook author and Whitefish resident Gina Simmonds. (Kate Heston/Daily Inter Lake)

Gina Simmonds, author of "How to Cook Like Mom," at her home in Whitefish on March 21, 2024. (Kate Heston/Daily Inter Lake)

Gina Simmonds, author of "How to Cook Like Mom," plates food in her dining room in Whitefish on March 21, 2024. (Kate Heston/Daily Inter Lake)

One of Gina Simmonds' recipes in her cookbook, "How to Cook Like Mom," is a pavlova, a fresh and light dessert often made with fruit. (Kate Heston/Daily Inter Lake)

Gina Simmonds, author of "How to Cook Like Mom," cooks a chicken dish in her kitchen on March 21, 2024. (Kate Heston/Daily Inter Lake)

Gina Simmonds, author of "How to Cook Like Mom," hopes to encourage people to get in the kitchen. (Kate Heston/Daily Inter Lake)

Gina Simmonds, author of "How to Cook Like Mom," arranges her bruschetta on March 21, 2024. (Kate Heston/Daily Inter Lake)

The best thing about cooking, according to cookbook author Gina Simmonds, is adding your own style to recipes and thinking outside of the box. (Kate Heston/Daily Inter Lake)

Gina Simmonds can often be found in the kitchen of her Whitefish home. (Kate Heston/Daily Inter Lake)

Gina Simmonds, author of "How to Cook Like Mom," adds flavor to an egg dish in her kitchen in Whitefish on March 21, 2024. (Kate Heston/Daily Inter Lake)

Gina Simmonds, author of "How to Cook Like Mom," cooks in her kitchen in Whitefish on March 21, 2024. (Kate Heston/Daily Inter Lake)