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Seeing the smiles that a delicious and beautiful dish puts on peoples faces, is enough to keep me going.
The most common question children are asked is “What do you want to be when you grow up?” For as long as I can remember, my answer was to be a chef and open my own restaurant. At 19, I left home to study culinary arts in Vancouver to fulfill this dream. Ever since, I have dedicated countless hours to learning this art. I strive to become a high level chef in a field mainly dominated by men.
Born in the suburbs of Montreal, I was raised in a bilingual and bi-cultural family. My mother, a French Canadian psychology teacher, taught me the value of learning and hard work. My Jewish father, a musician and voice teacher, taught me the importance of perseverance and discipline. Being in a dual culture family I of course tasted everything from tourtières, fromage de tête (head cheese) and venison stew to latkes, brisket, and gefilte fish. Following in my dad’s footsteps, I studied music for almost 11 years, playing violin and saxophone. Those years not only demonstrated to me the way to work with a team but also that practice really does make perfect.
With a childhood home surrounded by multiple vegetable and fruit gardens, using the freshest ingredients in my cooking is something that I take to heart. From my short experience in restaurants working as a line cook, I have seen that I thrive in the atmosphere of a busy kitchen. But my passion for cooking has bloomed while studying at the Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts. I have loved learning cooking techniques, developing recipes, plating, and improvising in the kitchen.