Help, I Live Next Door to a Skilled Executive Chef

When it comes time to meet your new next-door neighbors, it can become nerve-wracking.

The mystery alone can cause anxiety, wondering how you're going to introduce yourself without coming off as a weirdo, then next thing you know, you're the oddball of the neighborhood. Secondly, your approach is everything. It's one thing to extend a handshake during your greeting, but these days, it's forbidden with the coronavirus outbreak.

However, if you're lucky like I was, you just might know the person who in the back of your mind was a complete enigma until you saw their face and then BAM, a sudden sigh of relief takes over – unless of course you're unfriendly with said acquaintance.

Thankfully for me, it was not only a familiar face, but a friendly one.

I've know this person (whom I've chosen to keep anonymous) for quite some time and although we rarely hang out, we're always glad to see each other. This person is also one of the best local chefs I have ever met. Her food is impeccably delicious and I've never had a single bad meal from her menu.

She's worked at a few restaurants around the SouthCoast and is well-known among the locals.

Now, I know what you're saying, "You live next door to someone who can cook a five-star meal on the fly? That's a sweet deal!" and you're partially correct. The problem I'm running into and could use some advice on this one is this:

What is the proper etiquette to inviting her over for dinner as a kind gesture?

Her skills are unmatched and there's no way I can cook something as good as what she's used to. Her palette is finely tuned and has tasted the greatest dishes around, most of them being her own.

I suppose you can say I'm a little intimidated, but at the same time, I'd like to do something nice in return instead of just buying her a bottle of wine or a pack of beer.

At the age of 32, I shouldn't be worrying about these small issues, but here I am, prominently curious and never satisfied with most things that I do. It's like gifting an artist a stick-figure painting or a professional baseball player batting lessons. It's simply just a waste of time.

That being said, if anyone has any idea as to what I could do, I'd love to hear your thoughts. Finally, before anyone suggests bringing her out to a friendly dinner on the town, be mindful that restaurants are still closed down and take-out just seems too cliché.

Sorry for overthinking it, it's just what I do when my mind is traveling a million miles a minute.