About the Chef

I began cooking when I was six years old. My mother believed that cooking was a basic survival skill and she started my siblings and me out making Jello. We later graduated to making brownies and cakes and by the time we each became teenagers we were cooking complete meals for the family.

My mother was also an adventurous and creative cook and both of my parents were firm believers in trying new dishes. As a result, we were exposed to all kinds of foods as we grew up. When I left home I was an enthusiastic and competent -- if not particularly skilled -- cook.

In the following 30 years my enthusiasm blossomed into passion, my palate sharpened, and I learned the skills and techniques required to produce both simple soul-satisfying meals and elegant epicurean feasts. I can make a mean and hearty macaroni and cheese and I have flair for producing ethereally light soufflés.

To me, food is a celebration of life. It should be joy to prepare, a pleasure to consume, and a sacrament to share with family and friends. As the famous cook and food writer, James Beard, wrote:

Food is our common ground, a universal experience.
-- James Beard

Serving Knox, Blount, & Anderson counties.