We had the good fortune of connecting with Betty Fraser and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Betty, how do you think about risk?
Risk or opportunity? It’s all in the way you approach it, in my opinion. We’ve all heard the adage, is the glass half empty or half full? Life is all in the way you look at it. For example, deciding to be on Top Chef, Bravo’s very successful culinary competition show, was definitely a risk, but oh what opportunities it brought! Opening a restaurant in hidden part of Hollywood, as we did with Grub. Definitely a risk, but again, it brought us so many opportunities to meet and feed so many wonderful people that also helped build our catering company as well as being chosen to be aspokesperson for Happy Eggs and countless additional culinary television opportunities.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
As a self taught chef, I find that my creativity with recipe ideas really flourishes when I start with a classic. For example, a BLT. Great sandwich! But ours took a step up the culinary ladder when we added our notoriously delicious Crack Bacon! For an upscale dinner party Ive turned a beef wellington into  a Swordfish Wellington with brown butter leeks. I LOVE to cook, and I think that is the secret to anyone’s success. Choose a career where you love what you do and you’ll never “work” a day in your life! What a wonderful idea!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I love Hollywood! Covid has put a little damper on the choices of things we can do but some of my must do’s when the pandemic is not going on are: Los Balcones on Vine for Ceviche, Lomo Saltado and Pisco Sours A.O.C. for some elegant California Style Mediterranean food and some of the best wines in the City Redbird, sit in the garden area and enjoy Chef Neal Fraser’s amazing food in a gorgeous old chuch Bird’s in Franklin Village for Rotisserie Chicken and a strong drink For fun…bar crawl the Frolic Room, the rooftop at Mama’s Shelter and La Poubelle Make sure to hike around the Hollywood Reservoir and try yo find a kind magician who can get you into the Magic Castle and you must visit the magnificent Hollywood Bowl if its during their season.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I’d like to give a huge shout out to my amazing business partner, Denise DeCarlo. We have worked together since 1995 and her continued optimism and vivacious charming personality has really helped our business grow. We have closed the Grub chapter of our business relationship but so excited to launch Grub Gals Catering AND Hollywood’s Hidden House, a perfect event venue in the adorable 1920’s house that was Grub.

Website: www.grubgalscatering.com
Instagram: Chefbettyfraser
Linkedin: Chef Betty Fraser
Twitter: Chefbettyfraser
Facebook: Betty Fraser
Yelp: Grub Gals Catering and Hollywood’s Hidden House

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