About Me

Thanks for stopping by – I test, shoot, and create all content you see here! Subscribe to my email list so you can stay up to date on all of my hearty recipes. Feel free to email or DM me – I love to connect and see the dishes you’ve made!

Find me elsewhere:

• Facebook
• Twitter
• Instagram
• Pinterest
• YouTube

Culinary Journey:

I started this site while I was in Culinary school in 2018, several fun things have happened since:

• Attended the Iowa Culinary Institute from 2016-2018 – completed education in hands-on instruction of traditional cooking techniques. Education also included focus on business concepts, menu design, palate development, and wine education.
• Awarded the Marge Anderson French Scholarship – this included a one month trip to Paris focused on classical cooking techniques, I lived with a French family while working at their restaurant in 2018.
• Taught a cooking demo at the World Food and Music Festival – for the Dotdash Meredith Culinary Discovery Pavilion in 2022.
• Published in the DSM Magazine – I created a recipe and did the food styling for an appetizer recipe. March/April issue 2023 (pg. 21-23)
• Taught a cooking demo at the World Food and Music Festival – for the Midwest Living Culinary Discovery Pavilion in 2023.
• Taught a cooking demo at the World Food and Music Festival – for the Midwest Living Culinary Discovery Pavilion in 2024.

Education

Associate of Applied Science in Culinary Arts – Iowa Culinary Institute – Ankeny, Iowa

Experience

Besides the cooking I did growing up and the skills I learned in culinary school, I have worked just about every position in a restaurant. Throughout high school I was a hostess, a server, and a bartender. After school I worked as a line cook before moving to a local family owned restaurant where I was a sous chef, rotating between stations and developing new menu items. The restaurant industry is long, hard work but it teaches you excellent time management and how to consistently multitask under pressure. I loved my time in the industry and everything it taught me along the way;

I now continue to learn more about food photography and recipe development on a daily basis. Blogging has taught me so many new skills. I have a fulltime job in commercial printing so balancing the two can be demanding but always rewarding. I am always catching up on podcasts and webinars to learn more about SEO and marketing so I can continue to reach more people and provide helpful tips and tricks.

Brand Partnerships

I have been so lucky over the last couple of years to get to work with such wonderful brands that share the same passion I do! Here are just a few of them, find more of my brand work in my Portfolio!

• AE Dairy
• Hamilton Beach
• Fareway
• Papa Murphy’s
• La Terra Fina

Q&A:

Where are you from?

I was born and raised in Iowa, I currently still reside here!

How did you know cooking was your passion?

I’ve had a passion for cooking since I was about 10. I have always loved experimenting with new ingredients and techniques. Growing up I was able to cook at home a lot, which helped me make my decision to go to culinary school. Between restaurant work and culinary school – I knew cooking would always be a passion of mine. A scholarship to France opened my eyes to a whole new side of food and culture. I can only hope to continue experiencing international cuisine!

What is your favorite part about food blogging?

Recipe development is my favorite part hands down. I love messing around with ingredients and finding the perfect ratio of ingredients, especially with baking. I also love seeing people make my recipes and I’m always happy to answer questions!

Why did you decide to start a food blog?

I was still in culinary school and one day I just decided to start a blog. I loved the idea of coming up with recipes and the photography side of things. I had no idea what I was doing when I started and I have learned so much since I began. I look forward to adding to my recipe archive and seeing where the blog takes me!

What do you like to do outside of blogging?

Outside of working on my blog, I love to spend time with friends and family. I love cooking for people, getting together over drinks, trying new local spots. I have a 6 year old rescue dog, he keeps me on my toes! I enjoy anything artsy – I am always trying new DIY projects, teaching myself new skills, and working on new business ideas. I love a good thrift find, I frequent vintage stores, thrift stores, and estate sales for the perfect blog props and other cool finds!