Recipes

When it comes down to it I am a foodie at heart. My grandmother was the biggest influence on my career as I was growing up. She would always encourage me to pull up a stool to the stove and help stir this or that, getting my hands dirty kneading dough or frosting a cake.

Becoming a chef was a natural progression. After working many years part-time in a small local diner studying and saving up for college, I decided to pursue a degree in culinary arts and hospitality management. In my eyes it was a career that not only allowed me to be creative, but it also was a profession that could transverse borders. A kitchen is a kitchen whether nestled in the Smoky Mountains or along a tranquil canal in Amsterdam.

After having taken a brief break from the restaurant scene when I moved to Brussels I gravitated back to the books and became certified in sports nutrition. I not only want to tantalize the tongue with flavorful dishes, but I am now equipped with the knowledge to help individuals striving to find a balance through a healthy diet and exercise.

I do have one guilty pleasure and that is dessert. I am not here to preach that you should eliminate anything from your diet that brings you pure joy, but it is just that, let it be a treat. Allow yourself these indulgences without guilt once in a while, but do so in moderation. Awareness of the diet and what you put into your body as fuel is the first step to creating lasting change.