Drawing upon 25 years of professional culinary and pastry experience, my mission is to empower home cooks with the skills and techniques necessary to elevate their cooking. It's not just about following recipes; it's about understanding the underlying fundamental principles of cooking that enable you to confidently craft delicious dishes using wholesome ingredients. In today's climate of high inflation, mastering the art of cooking real food isn't only a culinary endeavor — it's a financial necessity. By learning to cook from scratch, you will bypass expensive pre-made meals loaded with excessive salt, fat, sugar, and artificial ingredients. Protect your health and your pocketbook by learning better cooking skills.
As a Chef Instructor, I'm here to help demystify the culinary process and guide you through unlocking techniques and flavor development. From understanding the nuanced differences between cooking methods to knowing precisely when a dish is done, I'll equip you with the knowledge to achieve the results you desire. With these essential skills at your fingertips, you'll not only save money, but also savour the satisfaction of creating flavorful meals with any cuisine you tackle. It's time to take control of your kitchen and unleash your culinary creativity. Let's embark on this delicious journey together.
My career began in administration, taking me from the Alberta Justice Department to the Canadian Embassy and the International Monetary Fund in Washington, DC. Despite my professional office trajectory, my love for food was always present. I attended a chocolate-making program at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris and ran a small home-based chocolate business on the side for several years. While in the US, I studied culinary and pastry part-time at L’Academie de Cuisine in Gaithersburg, MD, and later assisted pastry classes with former White House Pastry Chef Mark Ramsdell for two years. My passion for cooking led me to enroll in a full-time culinary and pastry program at the wonderful Northwest Culinary Academy of Vancouver where I graduated with honors.
After a couple of kitchen stints, I transitioned to a dream job with a media company, where our small team created a professional online cooking school. As Co-Producer and Writer, I developed lesson content and recipes, and served as the primary cook on set during filming days. This experience had a profound impact on my own learning and gave me a solid understanding - not only of cooking techniques, but a powerful insight on how to teach them.
Following extensive travel, I began teaching private, in-person cooking classes in Vancouver. I found it incredibly fulfilling to deal with “real” people vs the virtual world. Getting into the kitchen and witnessing someone transform their cooking skills in just a few hours was extremely rewarding. At the same time, I also led small-group food-tasting tours on Granville Island. Meeting new people and being able to talk about and share the best food in the market was a thrill for me.
My husband and I now live in the Shuswap. I have been teaching in small circles, but I am once again eager to share my knowledge with more people who are interested in improving their cooking skills. Living in the Shuswap is absolutely fabulous, but for those of you that have rusty cooking skills, it's understandable if you miss the flavors of the big city. I have good news - you can learn to make many of your favorite dishes while refining your technique repertoire. With a global perspective on flavor combining and menu building gained from my travels to over 40 countries, I offer you a comprehensive cooking experience focused on essential techniques. Join me for classes that are relaxed (but focused!), unpretentious, fun, and most of all delicious!