There’s a lot to love about the Brava community and today we’re excited to highlight Michael Horvich, who always inspires us in the kitchen. Keep reading to learn about the 600+ meals that Michael has cooked in Brava, along with his tips and tricks if you’re just getting started.

Q: What was your background with cooking before Brava?

A: I have had my Brava for a little over 3 years now. I have done over 600 cooks including chops, burgers, fish filets, filet mignon, stews, soups, and more; veggies, potatoes, soufflés and more; eggs, pancakes, hash browns and more; cakes, pies, cookies, breads and more; as well as warming and “re-crisping” chicken, pizzas, and more.

My husband Gregory(RIP) used to be the chef around the house but he slowly lost his abilities as he lived with Dementia, most likely Alzheimer’s, for 12 years. I had to take over (and often learn for the first time) all the cooking. There was a learning curve with using the Brava but quickly and easily overcome. I not only learned how to use the programmed cooks but also was able to bake, broil, stew, etc from scratch controlling the settings by myself! For a 77+ year old, Brava made it relatively easy for an “old dog to learn new tricks.”

Q: How has your cooking and lifestyle changed with Brava?

A: The Brava changed my life! I am able to eat healthy while easily preparing my meals. I have lost 20 lbs while using the Brava. My blood is no longer registering me as a Diabetic! I rarely eat out or order in (which came in handy during the COVID.) I haven’t had fried foods (except air-fried) since I got the oven. I am able to use all fresh ingredients as well as protein from the freezer, some of which one can cook without defrosting.

The oven sits on top of my stove top under the exhaust hood (which comes in handy when what I am cooking only rarely gets smokey.) I have not used the stove (or the oven where I store the Brava “pots and pans”) for three years now. I am able to entertain small groups of four or five people using my Brava and not only are the meals delicious and easy to make but the cleanup is piece of cake, just soak the pan in the sink over night and it scrubs clean without any effort!

The Facebook page has +/- 5.6k members who are able to support each other and I find that it is the MOST supportive group I have ever experienced. The staff and chefs at Brava are always so helpful and knowledgeable. Besides adding new recipes every month, they can help you problem solve when something (in the beginning and or rarely) goes wrong.

Q: What’s your favorite Brava feature, cooking mode, or accessory?

A: I don’t really have a favorite accessory, cooking mode, or feature with my smart oven! It meets all my needs when browning, stewing, frying, baking, sautéing, warming, dehydrating, slow cooking, and more. Which is a wonderful feature of the oven itself, being on wifi it easily gets updated, new recipes added, and new functions added … all from the central office in California.

If you want to see some of the over 600 meals I have cooked and to learn more about who I am, check out my website to find out about all my projects: http://www.horvich.com