I grew up in Auburn, Alabama and frequently visited my grandparents in south Alabama. Mimi, my paternal grandmother was quite a foodie and introduced me to the world of gourmet food through the recipes and techniques of Julia Child and Escoffier.  I have vivid memories of making marzipan and other culinary delights in the kitchen of her beautiful antebellum home in Ozark, AL. She sometimes hired a local cook, Rachel, to cook for our family on Sundays. I can still remember her fresh blackberry cobbler served with hard sauce and the hymns she would soulfully sing as she carefully prepared fabulous homemade meals.  I also remember sharing family meals while sitting around her large mahogany dining room table set with her china and silver that were handed down to her by her mother.   Today, I am fortunate to be able to serve my own family and friends from that very table using the same china and silver.

My maternal grandparents lived on a large farm in Ariton, Alabama, and I have many childhood memories of picking fresh vegetables and fruits, washing them and preparing them to be eaten on the very same day. Many summer afternoons were spent shelling fresh peas on my grandmother’s front porch.  I also remember riding around in the back of my uncle’s pick-up truck with my cousins after picking peanuts and eating as many as we could before arriving back at the farmhouse.  During the fall I have fond memories of picking buckets of scuppernongs with my older cousins and eating them until our bellies ached.

As a child I shared most of my meals at the table with my family and friends. On school days my mother and daddy would always get up before my sister and I did and would have breakfast ready for us when we woke up. The four of us would sit down at the table and share our first meal of the day together.   On Saturday morning I always woke up to the aroma of homemade soup my mother would make.  She  showed her love  by preparing homemade treats for us and making us feel special.

Today I have a strong client base and have even expanded my services to include teaching  cooking classes at Williams Sonoma and at the Auburn Culinary Center and doing kid's cooking camps, cocktail parties, seated dinners and romantic dinners for two.

Today as a Personal Chef, I feel very fortunate and honored to be able to help families get back to the table while sharing healthy meals and memories together. The following quote by Judith Martin summarizes my philosophy of sharing meals with loved ones.