CULINARY BY DESIGN

My passion for cooking began as a young child growing up in Southern California. I have many memories of spending time in the kitchen with my Mom and enjoying home cooked meals with family. My interest in cooking steadily increased during college. I found myself preparing meals for friends and roommates on a regular basis. I watched the Food Network routinely which inspired me to experiment with different flavors, ingredients and cooking techniques. I spent most of my free time in the kitchen creating new dishes or at farmers markets searching for the perfect ingredient. Inevitably, I realized that I wanted cooking to be more than a hobby.

After graduating college, I decided I should pursue the possibilities of cooking as a profession. I enrolled in the Culinary Arts Program at the San Diego Culinary Institute where I received my education in 2005.  For the next few years, I learned from some amazing chefs in a few of San Diego's finest restaurants.  These experiences helped me to obtain positions as a restaurant chef, catering chef and chef instructor. I will always miss California, but I have welcomed Northeast Ohio as my new home. I enjoy living in a region where seasons are evident, providing me with revolving inspirations in my culinary creations. However, my California roots will always be represented in my style of cuisine. I enjoy cooking with fresh ingredients, using bright and bold flavors and applying simple but classic techniques. I love to share my passion of cooking and food with others. I created Culinary By Design to provide a professional culinary service that is creative, convenient and enjoyable, helping busy people eat better.