I plate love & pour passion
My love for food is rooted in my Colorado childhood. Through my family, my friends, and my community, I was introduced to the world of food that sparked my passion and led me to where I am today.
My culinary career began at Johnson & Wales University in Denver, Colorado, where I earned bachelor’s degrees in Baking & Pastry Arts and Food Service Management in 2012. I then moved to New York City to pursue an M.A. in Food Studies at NYU Steinhardt, graduating in 2016. During my time in New York, I worked as a cook, brewer, and farmer, gaining experience across every stage of the food system. I also collaborated on original recipes for several culinary publications and contributed to Women Chefs of New York, a cookbook celebrating the city’s talented female chefs. Before returning to Colorado, I spent my final summer in New York farming in the Hudson Valley, deepening my appreciation for sustainable agriculture and local food systems.
Back in Colorado, I continued to build a diverse career in food, working as a professional brewer, private chef, greenhouse farmer, and head baker for Mountain Dweller Coffee Roasters. In 2022, I founded Lady in the Wild, a catering food truck that I owned and operated for nearly three years before closing the business at the end of 2024. Today, I serve as the Farm Manager for Sprout City Farms in Denver, where I oversee the production of a 1 acre organic educational farm. I also continue to work as a private chef, creating personalized dining experiences that celebrate seasonal, locally sourced ingredients.
At the heart of my work is a belief that food has the power to build community, connect people to the land, and create meaningful change. Whether I’m in the field or the kitchen, I’m passionate about cultivating relationships through food while fostering respect for the people and ecosystems that make it possible.
Where it all began
In fifth grade we all wrote essays about what we wanted to be when we grew up. I wrote that I wanted to be a pastry chef—and I won. The prize was an internship as a student in the pastry program at Johnson and Wales University. For the first time I got to wear a chef’s coat and hat and make Oreo truffles from start to finish. I still remember the sweet, creamy center and the crisp chocolate shell, the small, perfect pleasure of that first bite. That moment sealed it for me: food wasn’t just something to eat, it was what I wanted to create.