I began my culinary journey in earnest in 2002 when I quit my job and enrolled in culinary school. I immersed myself in my course work during the day. In the evenings and on weekends I assisted professional chefs in their publicly offered classes. After I graduated, the owner of the cooking school invited me to become an instructor for their public classes. She also referred me to clients who wanted to do a private cooking class in their home. That’s when I knew what I wanted to do for the rest of my life.
Since 2003, I have taught large groups of students at well-respected cooking schools such as Laguna Culinary Arts, Laguna High School, Villa Cucina and A Store For Cooks in California as well as Sur La Table in Michigan. In 2005, I founded Cooking with Class, so that I could create private, hands-on, cooking classes for individuals and small groups. I opened our home to my students and have travelled to many of theirs. My classes are designed to provide a warm, relaxed and inviting experience for everyone. I work with my students to develop a unique menu that is tailored to their desires and needs. All of my classes are private. I take great pride in delivering a cooking experience that is personal, informative, fun and delicious. Most of my students are now from Farmington Hills, Michigan and the surrounding communities of Farmington, Beverly Hills, Novi, Southfield, Birmingham, Franklin, Bloomfield and Bloomfield Hills, Livonia, Royal Oak, Ann Arbor, Livonia, Milford and Plymouth. I have cooked for groups in Dubrovnik, Tuscany and Provence as well.
I graduated with Merit from the Professional Chef Program at Laguna Culinary Arts. I have a Certificate in Wines, Sprits and other Alcoholic Beverages from the Wine & Spirits Education Trust from London, England. At the request of a client, I trained at the Miele Experience Center in Chicago, focusing on the use of their steam oven. I hold a Certificate of Completion for Learn2Serve Food Safety Management Principles.
I am a professional culinary instructor, recipe developer and tester. I get much of my inspiration for my classes and recipes from my collection of over 1,000 cookbooks (and growing). In the spring of 2023 my husband Mike and I moved from Franklin to Farmington Hills/Northville, Michigan where we reside with our English Cream Golden Retrievers, Gordie and Ella.
I hope to work with you soon.