I have worked in the restaurant industry for 17 years. When I started in the industry, I worked in a Polish cafe in Kitchener. I'm of French Canadian and Ukrainian descent and my heart is in Eastern European cuisine. However, I love spicy foods and also gravitate towards Indian and Mexican cuisine.
I've been lucky to have traveled a lot, especially throughout my 20's. The most formative experience was living in Bogota, Colombia and working as an English teacher in a public school. After living in Colombia, I pursued an undergraduate degree in Latin American and Caribbean Studies, with a second major in Spanish. I completed a masters program at the University of Guelph in Latin American and Caribbean Studies in 2023. I am incredibly interested in politics and history.
I live in the Junction (Toronto) with my partner. I'm currently working in two different restaurants and running my own Etsy shop, selling antiques and vintage items. I have very little down time but I spend it cooking/baking, biking around the city, visiting family, camping, swimming, and reading for my book club.
My cooking style embraces making ingredients from scratch. If I'm making shrimp cocktail, I'll be sure to make the cocktail sauce from scratch with fresh tomatoes and horseradish. My freezer is packed with ingredients which I prepared when they were in season/available. I like to have these ingredients on hand not only because it saves me time and money, but because it's healthier than buying packaged goods. It's also a more holistic way to use food that might otherwise be wasted (ie. chicken or veg broth, herb oil).
My five favourite meals that I cook for myself are these:
Lentil red curry with raita and homemade naan bread
Asparagus, bacon, cheddar and caramelized onion quiche
Vodka sauce from scratch with rigatoni or homemade pasta
Tuna ceviche with jalapeno
Mexican black bean stew with brown rice, pico de gallo, and avocado
I am a skilled baker and love to make pavlova, classic lattice-top pie (strawberry rhubarb is my favourite), French frangipane apple tart, chocolate sea-salt shortbreads, cheesecake, cinnamon babka, and linzer torte.
I have 17 years of experience in the service industry. I have worked as a kitchen manager, a cook, a server, a front of house manager, a bartender, and a sommelier. I have a strong background in wine and continue to work in the wine industry today. I have stated that I have "1 year" of private chef experience, given that I've worked in kitchens and high-pressure environments for years. Although I have zero experience as a private chef, I am a talented cook and I know a lot about food trends and dietary restrictions.
Certificate in Viticulture
Private/personal cook, Chef for events, Family cook
Food Handler’s Certification