Creativity in the cuisine.

• Author: Kelly, Lindsay
• Position: CONFERENCE & CONVENTION - Expert chefs Creative Cuisine

It's not often you'll hear Andrew Culgin say he's going to work. But he will head off to "the kitchen," and it's a kitchen that carries his signature style.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Scattered in amongst the chopping knives and industrial-sized grill are insights into the creative mind heading up the kitchen: a plastic skeleton hanging from a cupboard, a Halloween mask perched atop the fire extinguisher, a lineup of cartoon figurines on the windowsill.

"People coming in for cooking classes compare it to somebody's garage," Culgin chuckled. "That's what I want. What I'm about is tattoos and skulls, so it suits me."

A Red Seal-certified chef who's worked in the industry for more than 20 years, he launched Culgin's Creative Cuisine out of Sudbury's former Knights of Columbus hall last August. With his fresh, made-to-order meals, he's hit on a niche market that's looking for healthy lunch and dinner options.

His specialty is food that falls under the tenets of a paleolithic diet, which mimic the food groups of pre-agricultural, hunter-gatherers. Fish, grass-fed, pasture-raised meats, eggs, vegetables, fruit, fungi, roots, and nuts are in, but grains, legumes, dairy products, refined salt, refined sugar, and processed oils are out.

After cooking for his wife, an amateur muay Thai fighter with a strict diet. Culgin started gaining additional fans. Word of his talents spread and he expanded his repertoire to include meal plans, cooking classes, in-house dining and catered events.

"I make everything from scratch," Culgin said. "I go to the grocery store every morning and buy the food for that day"

Culgin's done little in the way of advertising, and everything is orchestrated through his Facebook page. He posts a menu every Sunday and people submit orders one or two days in advance for that week's meals.

Sample lunch items include sweet potato hash with bacon and apples, or cilantro and avocado turkey burgers, while...