Katy Fischer is originally from Urbana, Ohio and always knew she wanted to become a chef from an early age. She studied at the Pennsylvania Culinary Institute in Pittsburgh. After graduating, she traveled the US working in many five star resorts polishing her talents in the kitchen. One of her favorite places was Savannah, Georgia where she worked under a French Chef who taught her the art of Southern cuisine.
In 2011 Katy moved back to town to spend time with her family and met the love of her life, Jeremy. She has been with Coldwater Cafe in Tipp City for 8 years and she has been the Executive Chef since 2015. Her culinary talents have brought many new customers by enlightening their taste buds with her unique creations. When Katy isn’t creating masterpieces, she loves spending time with Jeremy in Key West and with their three dogs, Lu, Merle, and Huckleberry, whom she considers her children.
Katy took some time to answer our Chef 10? interview and here’s what she had to say:
What is your favorite ingredient to cook with?
My favorite ingredient to cook with isn’t a specific ingredient…but I would say spice. I love spicy food. The spicier the better. At Coldwater, I definitely hold back the heat as many people aren’t as crazy about it as I am. But let me be clear, I do not like things to just be hot, they have to be flavorful as well. There are so many ingredients out there that infuse dishes that I wish people would be more open to. There are so many amazing chiles that are underutilized. I love harissa, curry, masalas…there are just so many.
What ingredient do you dread?
Hmmm. I would have to say veal. I personally do not cook or eat veal. For my own personal reasons. I am an animal lover and not a lover of animal cruelty.
What’s your favorite dish to make?
Soup! Random answer, I know. But at Coldwater, we are known for our soups. We have a Soup of the Day and I am always creating new things. You can make soup out of anything. I just made a green tomato bisque full of fresh basil and lime juice and topped it with a crab and jalapeno salad. Killer.
What’s your favorite pig out food?
Oh gosh, well I’d say sushi….I love sushi! I could probably eat an entire sushi boat by myself. Ha…and that pickled ginger, yum!
What restaurant, other than your own, do you like to dine at in the Miami Valley?
I love Thai Nine. Like I said before, I’m a spicy kind of lady…I always ask what the hottest number is when I order and then ask them to make it even spicier. They have amazing Curry and Pad Thai. I also love the “surprise” sushi roll, that’s always fun. I love that when I go there, they treat me so well. They know I am the Chef at Coldwater and I love that the employees are fan of us as well. I love the support.
What’s your best advice for home chefs?
My best advice to Home Chefs would be to not take things too seriously. Recipes are guidelines. Have fun with what you’re doing and try new things, because I promise you the best things in life were created by accident.
If you could invite any 4 guests to a dinner party who would they be and why?
Four guests (can I choose alive or dead?) 1. Emeril Lagasse – he was one of the reasons I decided to become a Chef. His cooking shows were about all I watched as a teenager. I was always asking my Mom to get me the ingredients for his recipes I saw him making and she did! 2. Elton John – he’s done it all. His music is amazing, he’s not afraid to stand out in a crowd, he’s an activist, he’s an inspiration, and he just seems like he’d have a lot of great stories to tell. 3. Ellen DeGeneres – she’s hilarious, witty, kind, genuine, generous, an animal lover and activist, and I know we would have so much to talk about. 4. My Mom – she’s my number one fan. She’s always been there supporting me every step of the way. She’s the main reason I became a Chef. She was always cooking and baking and I loved being around her and doing anything she was doing. I still do.
Who do you look up to in the industry and why?
Honestly, I look up to all the Chefs I see killin’ it on Instagram. The chefs who are always being tagged on True Cooks. The chefs that are out there day in and day out, busting their butts, making delicious and beautiful food. The chefs who are driven by the passion we as chefs all have inside of us. Being a chef is not for the faint of heart. When you’re passionate and dedicated enough to be a chef, you may not see the light of day. You spend it in a kitchen, creating art to make other’s happy. You go home, sleep, and get up and do it again. All for the passion.
What do you do in the Miami Valley on a day off?
On my days off I enjoy kayaking in the Great Miami near Troy and Tipp City, hiking in Yellow Springs, trying new wineries, riding my bicycle, walking my three pups, gardening ( I plant and take care of lots of succulents)
Share a kitchen disaster, lucky break or other interesting story:
Oh the kitchen stories I could tell you- well just the other day we had sold roughly 70 Charcuterie kits and I was prepping more cheese when my hand slipped off the tip of my knife. My knife went through my hand cutting through three layers of skin. 6 stitches later, I came back to work, and everyone got their Charcuterie boards.
Mother’s Day is looking a lot different for many families across the Miami Valley as we continue to quarantine indoors. That’s bad news for the traditional Mother’s Day brunch and what is typically the busiest restaurant holiday of the year. The good news: Mom doesn’t have to cook — and neither do you.
Cherry House Cafe
Little Miami River Catering Company
It’s 9:30. I set the alarm on the back door and take one last look around a dark kitchen that just faintly glimmers with all the stainless I know is there. No worries. Come morning time she will hum again as MK starts the bread baking and prep for the sweets that adorn our ever changing menu. There will be no moss on the rolling stone that is The Winds.
The Winds Café
Like you, each of our local restaurants are constantly evaluating their daily routines. With the safety and health of the community guiding all decisions, our locally-owned, independent restaurants continue to work on ways to adapt their traditional services to limit person-to-person contact without sacrificing integrity and attention to guests.
Cinco de Mayo is usually a holiday that sends hordes of people to their favorite Mexican restaurant for tequila shots, margaritas, chips and guacamole and tons of taco’s. However, the coronavirus crisis has sidelined many big Cinco de Mayo celebrations this year. So celebrate a little differently this year – hold your own fiesta at home.
903 E Dixie Drive, Dayton | 937-859-8229
The $89.99 Date Night Meal Box will include the makings for this meal for two:
Coldwater Cafe
After a 40 year career in the home improvement business, Michael Kauffman decided it was time for his something different. He says he’s had a passion for cooking and for the past few years he just hasn’t enjoyed the remodeling business as much as he should. A good friend of his told him to stop talking the about the food truck and just do it. So he took his old tool trailer and began transforming it, and he says, “if this all works out I’ve done my very last kitchen remodel.”
Fusian, the build your own sushi business, introduces Roll It Yourself (RIY) Sushi Kits. This make it at home meal kit comes with enough supplies to create4 servings! In your kit you’ll find cooked rice, whole produce (for you to prep at home), and sauces, seasonings, + toppings! Most meals take about 15 minutes from start to finish!
Opened for just 6 months before this locally owned eatery at The Greene shut down their dining room after the Governor’s mandate, they tried carryout for a week before shutting down completely. Since then, according to their website, they’ve spent their time developing a system with your safety in mind and created a menu of carryout items they feel confident they can produce, which includes favorites like the New Orleans style Shrimp & Grits pictured below:
L A U R E N T I N E // episode one.
Authentic Laotian Cuisine is what this family owned & operated food truck will serve up. 
Forced to reinvent themselves amid the COVID-19 crisis, Miami Valley restaurants-turned-takeout hubs now welcome the chance to bring comfort to another change-in-the-making: Easter meals to go.
