About Nutmeg

Meet Personal Chef Megan Cornett, owner and founder of Nutmeg Catering & Personal Chef Service.

My Values and Beliefs

Learn about my passion for food, my beliefs about the value of sharing meals, and my experience.

Food is personal

From sharing an intimate meal with a loved one to laughing and learning with your family, a meal brings people together.

My childhood summers found me in the kitchen with my grandmother learning her way of traditional Southern cooking and also learning the art of preserving and storing (or in her words “putting up”) food from her large garden for the winter. My mother and aunts also fostered my interest in cooking and I still enjoy laughing and working in the kitchen with them.

Searching for the perfect ingredients, creating recipes, and pairing food with wine in fantastic menus are my passions. Sharing carefully crafted food with friends and family brings me great joy. Seeing camaraderie, companionship, and love among friends and family develop over a delicious meal reinforces my belief that…

Food Strengthens Families and Relationships

The outcome of a recent study determined that couples sharing meals have stronger, healthier relationships. Throughout my childhood, my family shared dinner together, discussing each of our days and strengthening our family bond. And some of my favorite memories as an adult are those at a large table surrounded by friends sharing a home-cooked meal.

Sustainable Sustenance

One of my core values and a strong belief is purchasing locally grown and raised food from sustainable farmers.

Purchasing produce and protein locally benefits you:

Produce purchased from local farmers remains attached to the plant longer allowing it to ripen more naturally and retain more nutrients; that makes it taste better.
Developing a relationship with a local farmer means you will know exactly how your food is grown and where; it encourages economic growth in your town and means you know the people growing and raising your food.
With the average American meal traveling over 1500 miles to arrive on your dinner plate, eating locally saves precious fossil fuels and promotes environmental consciousness.

Eating organically grown and raised food benefits you:

It’s Healthy. On average, organically grown food contains higher levels of Vitamin C and essential minerals such as calcium, magnesium, and iron as well as antioxidants. Organic milk is naturally higher in Omega 3 fatty acids, Vitamin E, and Vitamin A than non-organic milk.
Avoid Pesticides. The best way to reduce exposure to potentially harmful pesticides is to eat organically grown food, where the use of pesticides is avoided.
No Antibiotics. Organic practices prohibit the use of antibiotics and hormones in food that could have damaging consequences for treatment of disease in humans.

I find the resurgence of sustainable farming essential. Sustainable farming refers to the ability of a farm to produce food now and in the future without compromising the environment or ecosystem health. It also addresses social and economic resources in a way that balances the working and living conditions of laborers and the needs of rural communities as well as consumer health and safety.

My Experience,
Education and Training

I am:

A ServSafe Certified Food Manager
Fully insured
A graduate of the Culinary Business Academy
A member of the United States Personal Chef Association

In my nearly 16 years in the hospitality industry, I have:

Worked in the “front of the house” as a server and floor manager
Worked in the “back of the house” as a cook and food purchaser
Planned and managed events and tastings for one of Virginia’s most prestigious and groundbreaking vineyards
Catered intimate gatherings and large parties

I currently volunteer for Loudoun County Young Parent Services teaching young parents basic culinary skills and the value of proper nutrition.