Quick fixin's

A local business that helps cut down on meal preparation time and helps collect school supply donations for elementary schools, Chef Dane’s, will host its grand opening Saturday.

The meal prep kitchen, located at 4910 E. Chandler Blvd., will offer music, samples and refreshments from noon to 2 p.m., as well as a buy-one-get-one-free sale on entrées.

Co-owners Laurie Allen and Michael Cassisi bought three Chef Dane’s in the East Valley, and expect to open their Chandler and Gilbert locations in the next two years.

“We wanted to start in Ahwatukee just because it’s our favorite place in the Valley,” Allen said.

Allen and Cassisi, who have been dating for several years, live in their respective residences in Chandler.

Allen said she is holding several fundraisers and charities for Ahwatukee Foothills schools. The store acts as a drop-off point for school supply donations for the kids at Sunshine Acres Children’s Home in Mesa, which are transported to the Women’s Council of Realtors monthly meeting, and then forwarded to Sunshine Acres.

Chef Dane’s is also helping Kyrene Monte Vista Elementary School raise funds all year. When placing an online order at www.chefdanesahwatukee.com, customers can enter the promotional code “montevista” when checking out, and 10 percent of the total will be donated to the school’s parent-teacher organization.

“You have to give back,” Allen said, “It doesn’t work unless you give back. You can’t keep it all for yourself, that’s not fair. There’s other people out there who need it too.”

The meal prep kitchen takes care of the shopping, washing, chopping, slicing and dicing. It has nearly 20 recipes to choose from. Each meal station comes stocked with all of the ingredients needed for an entrée that serves five to six people. The meal is placed in a container with cooking instructions and can be freezable for up to three months.

The entrées range in price from $26 to $30.

Chef Danes’ Ahwatukee Foothills location has enough seating for 30 people, and is therefore able to host events and mixers, from the Ahwatukee Chamber of Commerce mixer on Sept. 19, to groups like Mommies Making Money.

Allen said the moms’ groups use their meeting times both as a networking opportunity and a way to get their meals prepared for the week. When they first get to Chef Dane’s, the women will check off the entrées they want, and Allen prepares them while they have their meeting.

But Chef Dane’s isn’t just for busy moms.

“Somebody asked me once who our client is and I said 'anyone who eats,’” Allen said.

From the 18-year-old who just got his own apartment and doesn’t know how to cook, to the single dad, to the sick or elderly, Chef Dane’s is a time-saver for any age.

The meal prep kitchen also has Dads & Kids Day every Saturday, so dads can give mom a break in the kitchen. With no fire, no knives, Chef Dane’s is a kid-friendly environment.

“It’s a huge confidence-builder for the kids to come in and make dinner,” Allen said. “It’s awesome.”

Emily Behrendt can be reached at (480) 898-6472 or ebehrendt@aztrib.com.