From a very young age I knew I loved cooking. While my siblings watched cartoons, I watched Iron Chef (the original version that was in Japanese with English subtitles). As I grew, I learned that cooking and serving food was so much more than ingredients on a plate- it's about the energy and passion you put into it. I think that people can taste the difference in something that's prepared with care, and I try to bring that authenticity to every dish I make, because that's the kind of food I want to eat.
Background
I was trained at The Culinary Institute of America, one of the most prestigious culinary schools in the country. There I learned classic French techniques and grew a passion for sustainability and environmental responsibility. Upon graduation two years later, I realized that as much as the kitchen felt like home, I needed more than just cooking to fulfill me. Engaging with people and sharing this love I had for food became my goal. I found myself in Boston working front of the house in The Fairmont Hotel's restaurants; Sensing and Aragosta.
After two years I moved back to my hometown in Rochester, NY where I started cooking for people in their homes. The families I found myself working for desired everything from low-calorie and vegan to "flexitarian" diets including meat and fish. As my business grew, so did my experience with vegetarian/vegan cuisine. I've developed my own creative vegetarian dishes over the years, not only for my clients but for myself. I source ingredients from local farms as often as possible. Not only do these things taste better, but they also have less of an environmental footprint. Nourishing people with food, and doing so with care for the environment continues to be my passion and life’s work.