Introduction: I am a North Carolina native specializing in fine dining, focusing on healthy cuisine while utilizing local ingredients. I have worked as a chef for over 15 years and during the last 10 I have also worked simultaneously in the wine industry. I started in restaurants, working as a butcher and a sous chef; then evolved into doing pop-up events, in-home cooking lessons and freelance work. I moved to the Willamette Valley of Oregon in 2016 and worked harvest making wine for a small production winery and farm specializing in Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. During my time there I worked my way up in responsibilities and skills earning the first ever title of Cellar Master in their company's history.
Since the winery was so small, I also worked as a farm hand in the slower months. Helping build electric fenced pastures, tending to the herd of Irish Dexter cattle, raising American Guinea Hogs, chickens, goats, and taking care of the two draft horses. The experience at the farm and winery kept me humble and opened my mind up to the slower paces of life that enjoy and respect nature as a practice in daily life.
I currently live in the Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill Area, where I have a homestead raising ducks and am preparing for a small flower farm. I grow a lot of my own food in the garden and butcher larger cuts of meat raised on farms nearby.
My food is the story of my life and my home. Each dish I prepare bares some significance to my roots in the South and my professional standards from working in fine dining for over a decade. Every meal has a story and a deep connection to my heart and life experiences that lead me from my home to my 8 years of life in Oregon and back again.
Thank you for the opportunity to share them with you and the people you cherish most around your table.
