My life has always revolved around food! A second-generation food industry worker, both of my parents worked for Disney World in their food and beverage departments. My mom trained me in management and catering, and taught me how to cook. My uncle, who was a trained chef from the Culinary Institute of America, taught me knife skills. But my dad taught me hospitality, that the right song makes the food taste better, and most importantly, he taught me how to eat! My dad was the one who taught me about the perfect bite, broadened my interest in different cuisines, and introduced me to spicy food.

After working in restaurants in college, getting my degree in Anthropology, and after a very interesting food anthropology class, I decided to further my culinary studies. I went to Le Cordon Bleu in San Francisco for my culinary degree, where I worked and staged in Michelin-star restaurants (Aziza, Frances) and James Beard Award-winning restaurants (Foreign Cinema), and was on the opening restaurant crew comprised of chefs from the two Michelin-star restaurant Spruce. I then spent some time in New Orleans, where I got a chance to work at the famous St. Charles Street restaurant Herbsaint.

I came back to Taney County to be close to my mom after my father passed, but the love of food and cuisine he instilled in me never died. Because of his lifelong struggle with diabetes and the fact that he himself was a great cook, I learned early on that just because you have a dietary restriction doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice flavor to get what you need.

Since being diagnosed with Alpha-gal myself, I’ve really stretched my culinary knowledge to ensure that not only am I getting the healthy meals my body needs, but they taste incredible! I hear of a lot of struggles from other people having the same dietary struggles, but without the time to dedicate to their food.

So please! Allow my passion to fuel you! Let food be thy medicine and let medicine be thy food. And never sacrifice flavor for health when you can have both!

I look forward to cooking for you because, like every good Italian American person, food is my love language!

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Enjoy!

Christa