Once a social norm, sit-down family dinners have been all but squeezed out of daily routines.

Blame snarling traffic, readily available fast food, longer work days or after-school activities, but don't blame Chef Bev Kinnaman. She's bringing families back to the dinner table, one meal at a time.

"I really give quality time back to people," said Kinnaman, a personal chef who lives in San Dimas.

Kinnaman's service, cleverly named the Invisible Chef, includes grocery shopping, cooking with her own pots and pans and complete cleanup with her own soap and sponges. She estimates her work gives 10 to 12 hours a week back to the person who normally does the cooking and the shopping.

the time her clients are home from work, the refrigerator and freezer are stocked with three to five gourmet meals. The only trace Kinnaman leaves behind is a detailed menu with heating instructions.

"If I can bring a family to the dinner table where they can sit down and communicate even two or three days a week, that's awesome," Kinnaman said.

Kinnaman begins each client relationship with a meeting to assess likes and dislikes, food allergies, preferred spices and food texture and favorite recipes.

She can prepare any recipe and her specialties range from American to Mexican to Italian. All food is made from scratch with fresh fruit, vegetables, herbs and spices, and no preservatives. Meals are stored in vacuum-sealed bags, plastic or aluminum containers and labeled.

Meals are reheated in the microwave or by steaming. Neither method, Kinnaman assures, changes the doneness of the meat or texture of vegetables and pasta.

In one day, Kinnaman prepared four servings each of roasted turkey breast, crab cakes with honey jalapeño sauce, grilled citrus swordfish, chicken cordon bleu and beef tenderloin with garlic and brandy. Side dishes included rice pilaf, sauteed broccoli, glazed spring vegetables, green salad with balsamic vinaigrette and green b eans with bacon and onion. The cost for all 20 gourmet meals is $350.

This was enough to keep her client -- a single Chino Hills chiropractor -- eating healthy, tasty meals for a month.

Though she counts some well-to-do folks among her clientele, Kinnaman wants to dispel one assumption that often accompanies her career:

"People think a personal chef is only for the rich and famous, but it's not," she said. "I cook in mansions and town houses and mobile homes. It doesn't matter, I just adapt."

Kinnaman understands the strains of a 9-to-5 lifestyle because she worked 25 years as a business analyst. When she was unexpectedly let go, she somehow found a new career as a personal chef.

"I went out and looked for a job in the same field, but it wasn't happening. I was tired of the number business," she said. "Then I saw an ad for the American Personal Chef Association and I said, 'Now I can do that,' and that's how I got started."

With a membership fee the American Personal Chef Association provides training material, a recipe exchange and advice on working with clients, setting prices and grocery shopping. Cooking classes and conferences are also available.

Kinnaman reflected on the past two years she's spent as a personal chef:

"I'm a totally different person now because I'm happy," she said. "I enjoy what I do. It's so fun to make people happy and it's nice when somebody really enjoys my food."

"My clients love the sauce I put on the grilled swordfish," Kinnaman said. "They want the swordfish every time I cook."

Barbecue tip: Light charcoal 30 minutes before cooking swordfish (the coals should be hot and glowing). Position rack of grill 6 to 8 inches above hot coals. For a hickory-smoked flavor, soak hickory chips in water for about 30 minutes, drain and add charcoal just before putting fish on to cook. Arrange fish directly over coals. Cook 7 to 10 minutes, turning once, until fish flakes easily when touched with a fork. Serve with Citrus Sauce as directed.

Ingredients: 2 tbsps. vegetable oil 1 medium onion, chopped 1 small red pepper, cored/seeded/chopped 1 jalapeño pepper, cored/seeded/chopped 2 limes 1 tbsp. sugar 3/4 tsp. salt 1/2 tsp. grated ginger root 3/4 cup orange juice 1 tsp. cornstarch 1 tbsp. water 1 small orange, peeled and cut in 3/4 strips 1 tbsp. cilantro, minced 4 8-oz. swordfish steaks 1/4 tsp. salt 1/8 tsp. freshly ground pepper

Directions: Prepare Citrus Sauce: In a medium-sized saucepan, heat vegetable oil over medium heat. Add chopped onion, red pepper and jalapeño pepper. Stirring frequently with a wooden spoon, saute vegetables until they are crisp-tender, about 3 minutes.

Grate lime peels to yield 1 tsp. zest. Squeeze limes to yield 1/4 cup juice. Sprinkle lime zest, sugar, 3/4 tsp. salt and grated ginger root over vegetables in saucepan. Add orange and lime juices and stir ingredients with a wooden spoon to combine.

Increase heat to high and bring vegetable mixture to boiling. Reduce heat to low, cover saucepan and simmer for 6 minutes to blend flavors. In a custard cup or small bowl, blend cornstarch with water until mixture is smooth.

Stir cornstarch mixture into vegetable mixture; add orange pieces and cilantro. Simmer over low heat for 1 minute, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. Turn off heat; cover saucepan to keep sauce warm.

Place swordfish steaks on rack of broiler pan. Sprinkle with 1/4 tsp. salt and pepper. Broil 4 inches from heat source for 5 minutes. Turn steaks over and broil until fish is just cooked, about 4 minutes. Do not over cook swordfish -- it will become dry.

Transfer swordfish steaks to a warmed serving platter. Spoon Citrus Sauce over and around steaks and serve immediately. If desired, serve with parsleyed small red new potatoes or rice.

Serves four.

NAME: Bev Kinnaman

RESTAURANT: The Invisible Chef, a personal chef service.

INFORMATION: (909) 971-0100 or www.theinvisiblechef.org.

HOW LONG: Two years

AGE: 48

RESIDENCE: San Dimas

YEARS COOKING PROFESSIONALLY: Two

FAVORITE DISH: Crab cakes made with real crab meat, green onion, celery, bell pepper, Tabasco sauce and lemon juice, served with honey jalapeño dipping sauce.