Biography
Having taught culinary arts for the past 15 years, it seems fitting to tell more about myself through the lens of food. I have had a delicious life thus far and I know there is still more to sample. It would be impossible for me to narrow down my favorite dishes as I have spent most of my life traveling the world. My childhood memories are wrapped up in the smells and tastes from Cameroon, Turkey, and Nigeria where my family was posted for the Foreign Service - USAID. We were actively involved in the communities and took as many opportunities as we could to travel and learn from the culture and people around us. I have clear memories of the sights and smells of the meat and vegetable markets in West Africa and the spice markets of Istanbul.
I attended MS, HS, and university on the East Coast of the U.S. My big-blended family had a round table and an open invitation for anyone who happened to stop by for a meal. I have delightful memories of busy kitchens filled with food, laughter, and family. We cooked, ate, and cleaned up together every day and many of the dishes had connections to the places where we had lived or traveled. When my younger brother was adopted from Cambodia we made sure he had all the food items he missed from his homeland. That was the first time I experienced the fragrance of fish sauce - truly a distinct Asian smell.
I met my husband at university and we migrated to Florida where we began our teaching careers. After a few years we were thrilled to get teaching jobs in Brazil. I confess, I was most excited about the food and the people. There is nothing more memorable than a meal of fried fish and cassava with some local tropical fruit. The culinary delights of Brazil and other South American countries are endless.
I moved to Asia 27 years ago for a job at the Singapore American School. Singapore is a food and travel mecca. It is a blend of flavors from various peoples, cultures, and religions. My husband and I and our two children took advantage of the amazing travel opportunities from this island hub whether it was around Southeast Asia or other locations such as New Zealand, Australia, or South Africa. Travels to destinations such as Thailand and Bali were planned with the sole purpose of sampling the delicious local cuisine. I have been sharing my love of food while teaching culinary arts to Middle School students. I am proud of the Cooking for a Cause fundraisers I organized with the classes earning money for much needed nutrition programs in India. My passion for making sourdough bread and leading baking classes for students, parents, staff, and domestic helpers has connected me with bread lovers from all over the world!
I am always amazed at how connected we all are through food. Many of those spices I smelled in Istanbul when I was a child are the same aromas I have experienced while traveling in India and Southeast Asia. Food is a beautiful way to connect us all no matter where we come from or where we are going. I know that my two grown children will forever be connected to their Asian roots through the dishes they grew up eating. I love that the culinary world has no boundaries and that we are all able to connect and share experiences through the delights of food.