I have been cooking just about all of my life. I started out in the kitchen, as my mom's little helper, standing on a foot stool that had my name carved out and spelled in rainbow letters. Usually, I would "help" my mom with baking cookies or cakes. I would be incharge of pouring whatever ingredient she just measured out into the bowl and then mixing everything together. Challenging, I know, but hey, we all have to start somewhere. As I got older, I would help make dinner by putting the salad together or chopping garlic, until eventually, I would be making dinner for my family all by myself.
Over the past 17 years or so, I have really enjoyed learning about natural foods and sharing my love of cooking with others. I have worked many jobs that involved food, from selling pizza at Woodstock '99 to delivering pizza for an italian restaurant, working in the bakery at Whole Foods, serving & prepping at an organic foods restuarant, catering with a small catering company, baking, packaging, and marketing at a small gluten free biscotti company, etcetera, etcetera. I had long thought about going to culinary school to turn my passion into a career, but it was really important to me that whatever school I went to reflected my feelings towards the importance of eating organic, whole, and sustainable food. I was a strict vegetarian and a sometimes vegan for over 12 years, so I also wanted to find a school that would focus mostly on a plant based diet, with some instruction on how to prepare meat. So, last year I packed up and (temporarily) moved to the bay area to attend Bauman College's Natural Chef program. It was a really fun, albeit difficult at times (hubby had to stay in NJ), 6 months. I got to live with my oldest BFF (20+ years and closer than ever!!), meet some new wonderful friends and associates, and cook, talk about, obsess over and most importantly, EAT incredible food!
After graduating from Bauman in August 2010, I was blessed enough to spend 3 weeks in Hawaii with my co-blogger and best friend, Lauren. We had so much fun swimming, lounging, cooking, and exploring together, but I think we would both agree, that the highlight of that trip, was helping to cater Eddie Vedder's wedding! Lauren has been working for this great catering company on Oahu, Delish, and was able to land me a job working in the kitchen for this very special event. The food was amazing, the decorations and ambiance were magical, and it was all topped off with moving speeches and performances by some of my favorite actors and musicians! It was an incredible experience that I will never forget.
Daniel, my husband, and I fell in love with the San Francisco bay area and decided to move here. So, that brings us up to the present. I am currently working as a kitchen assistant for a wonderful chef and author, Rebecca Katz, who is working on her 3rd cook book. Aside from the cookbook, I will be working with my fellow chef and friend, Jen, on some catering events, nannying for my girlfriend Amanda's baby, Owen, and working on this blog. I am looking forward to what other exciting opportunities and adventures wait around the corner!
xo, Katie
