About the Chef

Enjoying fine dining, entertaining and travel have always been important parts of my life. With Nutmeg Kitchens, I have found the perfect way to share these passions with others by preparing fresh, flavorful food inspired by my personal experiences and professional training.

As an exchange student in France, I savored new and delicious food while learning about a culture so different from my California upbringing. Being a part of my host family's table showed me the special role dining plays in our lives: it sparks conversations and encourages debate; it allows us to share and to celebrate. I learned that food is the essence of what brings us together. A meal does not only satisfy the palate; it nourishes the soul as well!

With a Bachelor of Arts degree from the Univeristy of the Pacific in English and History, I continued my wunderlust as a corporate and leisure travel manager. As a newlywed, I began taking evening cooking classes at Tante Marie's Cooking School in San Francisco. I eventually left my position as Corporate Travel Manager of a Bay Area biotech firm to enroll in Tante Marie's Professional Culinary Program. Learning to prepare so many of the classic dishes I savored during my French summer brought me right back to the delightful town of Jard Sur Mer where I had lived years before. The course also highlighted the different ethnic cuisines and unique culinary styles of the Bay Area. This excellent education laid the foundation for my own self-discovery as a chef.

Traveling with my husband and two sons throughout the United States and to such fascinating destinations as Fiji, Australia and Tanzania has added a new dimension to my appreciation of food, and life in general. These travels have been filled with unusual flavors, exotic preparations, remarkable venues and welcoming, hospitable people. It is both my travel and culinary experiences that I bring with me when I cook for you. I look forward to bringing a piece of the world and a lot of spice to your kitchen!