"Working as a private chef allows me to be independently creative as well as collaborative. I enjoy creating specialized menus and bringing new ideas to the table, as well as working with my clients to understand their needs and wants."
"Working as a private chef allows me to be independently creative as well as collaborative. I enjoy creating specialized menus and bringing new ideas to the table, as well as working with my clients to understand their needs and wants."
Whether it was gardening in the yard and harvesting fresh ingredients, or watching my mom and grandma in the kitchen, I was always fascinated with the art of cooking. I loved the idea of bringing many different elements and ingredients together and making them into one cohesive meal. It wasn’t long before I was taking the lead cooking at family parties and letting my mom and grandma take a break!
After graduating with my Bachelor’s Degree in Radio and TV Broadcasting, I pursued formal culinary training at Kendall College in Chicago. It was at Kendall that I was able to hone in on my already existing skills and take my cooking to the next level. I was fortunate to be taught by many talented instructors, all of whom had different culinary backgrounds, which allowed me to learn about many different techniques and types of cooking. I graduated with my degree in Culinary Arts in 2015, and was a member of the National Championship winning Knowledge Bowl team.
During culinary school, I worked at Vie in Western Springs, Illinois, for Paul Virant, a Michelin-rated chef. It was at Vie that I learned how to excel in a professional kitchen and gained essential skills such as time management and communication. Upon graduating from Kendall, I had the opportunity of a lifetime to travel to Milan, Italy and represent the city of Chicago at the World’s Fair. While in Italy, I cooked and taught alongside many well-known Chicago based chefs, as well as the late three-star Michelin Chef Gualtiero Marchesi, known as “the founder of modern Italian cuisine.” It was both a great teaching and learning opportunity for me, and it was an honor to work in one of Chef Marchesi’s kitchens.
Back in the states, I secured a job working at Halas Hall for the Chicago Bears, working as the Player and Coaches’ Chef. It was here that I fine-tuned my ability to cook with certain dietary restrictions, which allowed me to individualize and customize certain players’ meals both at Halas Hall and as well as take-home meals or meals for travel days.
In 2016, I pursued an opportunity to work full time as a private chef. My responsibilities were wide ranging, from creating weekly menus to helping plan and execute dinner parties. I also was responsible for daily shopping and budgeting each week.
Working as a private chef allows me to be independently creative as well as collaborative. I enjoy creating specialized menus and bringing new ideas to the table, as well as working with my clients to understand their needs and wants.
Since 2016, I have worked with many different clients, including celebrities and professional athletes. At the age of 25, I co-authored my first cookbook, “True Roots,” which is now a New York Times Best Seller. My dream is to one day combine both of my degrees - TV broadcasting and cooking.
