Food has always been my first true love. As my fellow toddlers tuned in to PBS for Sesame Street and the like, I watched Julia Child and Jacques Pepin with mirrored enthusiasm and captivation. A favorite activity that carried into my preschool years was to scribble family orders on a notepad, prepare requested meals in my play kitchen, and serve with a smile.
I was fortunate to be raised by a grandmother who cooked old world favorites and new world trials in her mother's apron, and had a special stool so we could reach her worn wooden countertops to "help" her whenever we joined for a family meal. Our day to day chef, my mother, saw recipes as more of a guideline to glance at, always miraculously producing creative meals out of even the quirkiest of ingredients between shopping trips. They taught me everything I needed to know - from sharing the secrets of yellowed family recipes to getting the last bits of sauce out of a jar - but most importantly, always supported my love for food and desire to be in the kitchen, soaking up every tip and taste.
I followed this passion throughout my childhood and adolescence, working in numerous kitchens and bakeries, and pursuing a degree in Baking and Pastry Arts at Johnson & Wales University. Fortunately, I soon stumbled into the world of Food Styling via an accomplished mentor, and instantly felt at home. In this rich medium, I love that I can flex my creativity and get lost in the fluidity of the work without disrupting the fine art of the process and the orchestra of details. Having the opportunity, time and time again, to tell a story by connecting simple ingredients is pure magic.
In addition to styling, I develop recipes for clients and I am interested in food and aesthetic consultation for restaurants and small food businesses, and working on behalf of sustainable food systems.
Outside of the kitchen and studio, my interests and hobbies include yoga, scouring flea and farmer's markets, supporting small and local businesses, advocating for the causes I believe in most, creating holistic wellness potions, and adventuring with my tiny niece and nephew.