Cooking, for me, is so much more than throwing together ingredients. Before I learned to cook, my first love was to travel.  During my years living in the UK, I was fascinated not only with the food from Europe but also the Middle East and India, where I was born. The history of food was my initial attraction to cooking:  knowing where ingredients originated and why they are used in any regional dish in every country, throughout the world. 

 

As I dug deeper into the cuisine of each country, its specific regions, I learned of its former occupiers, and geographic neighbors, I began to taste and differentiate the history and influences of centuries past. Not only did history play such an enormous part but simply the availability of product. Italy, being an example of this has white sauces in the north and tomato sauces in the south.  With the availability of dairy and goat milk in the north, Italian cities such as Milan have produced spectacular cheeses and white sauces. Southern Italy with its proximity to Sicily and the fishing villages produces rich tomato sauces and the use of sardines. Every county, every region has been influenced by an older civilization.  I have always felt so fortunate to experience this; to be alive, to be a part of history.

 

Having raised three children and despite our busy schedules, dinner time was a ritual of candle light, delicious meals with a variety of tastes, texture, color and presentation. It was where we sat at the end of our day and shared our day’s events with each other.

 

I look forward to bringing my love of cooking to your homes and offices and making your event a success, whether it’s a formal gathering, a family affair or a business lunch!