The Food Chick's Story
My personal culinary journey began the same as most kids… crawling around our family kitchen and watching my mom & dad cook. Both of my parents worked, but back in the early ‘60s, beef and chicken were expensive luxuries for our family. However, my mom and dad were not only resourceful, but were equipped with the unique and handy skill of scuba diving. We lived on the beach, so our food was both free and easy to come by!
For several years, most of our meals consisted of what my parents could either reel in, or shuck from the ocean. We might have dined on lobster one night, and freshly smoked albacore or bouillabaisse another. I remember being the only kid who ate what other children wouldn’t dare to explore. Trust me, I had my fair share of PB&J sandwiches too, but I seemed to acquire an adventurous and curious palate early on.
It wasn’t until the early ‘90s, however, after attempting many different careers that I found myself working in the food industry in San Francisco. As a national sales executive for an importer of European pastry ingredients, I learned a great deal about fine chocolate and confections. It was then that my infatuation with food truly blossomed, as I worked side-by-side with some of the most talented chefs in the country. There were highly skilled imports from Europe, as well as young talent from the cities; all with extraordinary flair for artistic creation, and an exuberant passion for their trade.
I spent the next few years exploring food history, while selling gourmet ingredients that I could hardly pronounce. I learned of exquisite cheeses, colorful produce, artisan breads, wine, caviar and foie gras. My career path continued to explore various different sectors of the food industry, such as coordinating weddings and banquet events, managing hotel restaurants, and taking hospitality consulting gigs where-ever I could find them. I was content during this time, just being exposed to a lot of great food, when suddenly, late in 1999, my career took a spin in a different direction. I was hired to co-host a #1-rated PBS television show in Southern California called “Let’s Dine Out”.
This restaurant and food review show was a perfect match to my generally outspoken and critical nature, and provided a unique opportunity to share my opinions. I critiqued hundreds of restaurants over a six-year period. My dining partner and I traveled extensively, eating our way through each city with glorious pleasure and fascination. I ate literally thousands of dishes, refining my palate along the way, and increasing my knowledge of food history, diverse cultures, and their cuisine. I became known as the "Food Chick" and truly enjoyed the once in a lifetime opportunities that came along with being a TV personality. Today, I still enjoy food writing and critiquing, but have put this passion on hold for the most part, in order bring Haute Chefs to life.
I have met hundreds of chefs in my career, and surprisingly many of the best are self-trained, driven by their love of food, and passion for exploring the creative world of cooking. This is why I bring Haute Chefs to you; because it is never too late to begin a new journey, exploring the world of cuisine. Could there be a better place to start than in your own kitchen?