Brangelina and Bennifer didn’t stand the test of time, but Milsicas did. “Who is Milsicas, you ask?” The name is a combination of Milhouse and Jessica, and when you name your business Milsicas.Food, it’s a statement of confidence that the marriage will last.
Milhouse, the nerdy and anxious best friend of Bart Simpson from “The Simpsons” TV show, is the nickname given to Chef Ken Nelson during his first week in basic training in the US Air Force where he spent 20 years as a bomb assembler. Jessica is his wife, who is the other half of the power couple who earned the humorous moniker from their friends, mainly due to their Michelin-like dinner parties they hosted.
“I just started using Milsicas as a ‘bat signal’ to get our friends to come over for dinner, Nelson said. “If I said it’s going to be a Milsicas meal, they knew it was going to be something over the top.”
Finding Fulfilment in Preparing Michelin-Inspired Meals
This June marks two years since Chef Nelson became a private chef, after retiring from the military in 2021. “After retiring from the military, I tried to work in sales, but I was miserable being stuck in an office Monday through Friday. I felt no fulfillment coming from the military where I had a mission. I didn’t feel a camaraderie, and it was killing me inside,” he said.
Nelson took some culinary classes at a local college and from there, he interned for a year at a Michelin-recognized restaurant. “I just loved it,” he said. He also grew up on a 15-acre farm in Oregon where they grew their own vegetables and harvested their own chickens, and today, he has a two-acre farm with 30 chickens and a 60 x 60-foot garden that he utilizes in peak growing season.
What inspired you to get into foodservice?
“Food has always been my language. I grew up in restaurants where my dad was a chef, and I also learned from my mom, a home cook who served stews and casseroles every night. I watched simple ingredients become comfort and connection. Today, I cook to create moments that bring people together and turn an ordinary night into something memorable.”
What do you love about your business?
“Bringing my Michelin-style food into someone’s home feels personal and meaningful. Every dinner is unique, every guest is different, and I get to design an experience just for them.”
What’s the most interesting/oddest/coolest thing to happen in your business?
“I’ve met semi-celebrities. One night I cooked for this group of friends and didn’t know who they were, and someone mentioned the one guy was kind of well known. Later, I looked him up, and he’s a sports telecaster for ESPN. Another night, I was cooking for a writer/director, and it turns out he has a moderately famous movie on Netflix.”
What was the biggest business challenge you overcame?
“The biggest challenge was learning to trust the value of what I offer. At first, I underpriced my services because I wanted to say “yes” to everyone. As demand grew, I realized that great food, planning, shopping, prep, travel, equipment, and artistry have real value. Raising prices to reflect that — and hearing people say, ‘Absolutely, worth every penny,’ was a turning point.”
What Cambro products help make your business work?
“I use Camwear Pans with the lids for 90 percent of my prep work. I also have many larger pans for my bigger items, and I also use four-quart and six-quart Camsquares. I’ve dropped these things so many times and they just bounce, no cracks, no nothing. I love it. I’ve used other products and the handles break off or the corners snap. My favorite part is the square shape for maximum storage space. I operate out of standard kitchens, so I use someone’s refrigerator with all of their groceries in there as well. They are stackable and not going to collapse.
The Ultra Pan Carrier [UPC300] with the Camdolly is a lifesaver. Without it, I would be making 20 to 30 trips from the car to the house. The insulation is great, too. I’ve used them in 100-degree weather in July for six hours, and the ice blocks were still frozen at the end of the night.”
Author: Cynthia Connally is the Digital Communications Manager at Cambro.
