Ever since I can remember, I have loved to work with my hands and have always had a vivid imagination paired with creativity that knows no bounds. I’d work on different crafts, paint, sculpt, draw, sketch, color in coloring books and weave, knit or crochet depending on what I had on hand or what mood I was in on any particular day. I also remember sitting in a high chair in the kitchen as a child watching my mother create meals and desserts for our family every day and loved ones on occasion – until one day, I was given a fairly dull knife to help my mother chop fruits for a fruit salad. I was ecstatic, able to finally take part in the action. I would otherwise follow every movement my mother would make, eyeing all that was going on. Eventually I was able to contribute even if in a small way to the final products of labor in that very small kitchen that I remember so fondly. I learned through observation and later by direction/instruction – trial and error, just how most everyone learns when growing up. I was very inquisitive of how things were made or came to be. I was literally just a sponge for knowledge and know-how. Then ideas came and this knowledge and know-how became very helpful and went hand-in-hand when visualizing any given project and thinking up the steps to take to make an idea a reality no matter how big or small. All of this is part of what some know as the creative process. Now when I look at all the different types of projects I’ve worked on, its a welcome change to combine certain aspects of my personality with edible media, FOOD. Its fun, its never boring and it’s different every single time, even with the most perfected recipe. In my opinion, the kitchen is the hearth of the home and that is where most of the magic happens on a daily basis.
The possibilities are endless when trying to decide what to make for breakfast, lunch, dinner, dessert or perhaps a special occasion… In today’s world all one has to do for inspiration is google some key words and VOILA! One can go absolutely wild with any number of combinations of ingredients – experiment and perfect a masterpiece that is both flavorful and at times, to-die-for delicious while also visually/aesthetically appealing. Culinary ART, it definitely is. The amount of effort that goes into some dishes or delicacies is truly mind-boggling. Only an individual with a passion for his/her craft and a serious creative streak with a dash of persistence makes all the difference. You can tell sometimes by what you are served, if the chef or cook had a good or bad day. It’s best to catch them on their good days, if you know what I mean.
I am an artist at heart, designer by trade and chef through trial and error. I have an inexplicable urge and need to create. This newly awakened passion for anything culinary, has been dormant for numerous years but I have reacquainted myself with the joyous aftermath that occurs when something is created and deemed delicious upon being devoured! The whole process is satisfying, from start to finish, even feeling that bit of suspense not knowing if your work will amount to anything when creating something new. I think it’s just purley, a labor of love.