I have been a chef for over 18 years and I have a wide variety of experience in professional kitchens. I have worked in vegan cafes, classic French bistros, Buddhist retreat centers, upscale New American restaurants, and just about everything in between. The result of this diversity is a unique synthesis of the various methods and strategies of professional food preparation, which I have continued to refine into an approach that can be applied to the home. </p>

I love the blending of creativity and practicality that cooking offers, and I am enthusiastic about sharing that passion with others.

However, my relationship to food has changed over the years. In particular, I have come to see how food can fulfill more than just the need to satisfy the senses. Our food choices can also have a profound impact on our experience of health and well-being.

Several years ago, my life changed dramatically when I was diagnosed with acute rheumatoid arthritis. The doctor who arrived at this diagnosis told me that it was a permanent condition, with no known cure, and left me with the expectation of an unpredictable, but inevitable physical decline towards disability.

I, however, was never willing to accept the idea that my condition was permanent, with a life-long dependence on toxic pain medications. After many frustrating years of trial and error with Western and Alternative medicines, supplements, and "super-food" fads, I was fortunate to find a doctor of Complementary Medicine who made the link between my physical symptoms and gut health.

That was the turning point! He encouraged me to eliminate grains and legumes in order to reduce my inflammation, which eventually led me to the Paleo Diet. Since following the Paleo Diet, I have continued to experience more energy, less pain, the disappearance of digestive symptoms, and overall improvement in my quality of life.

My personal success with the Paleo Diet has inspired me to share my story with others and support people who are looking to improve their health by transitioning to Paleo.

However, for some, the move to Paleo can represent a daunting challenge, and not everyone feels adequately equipped to initiate such a significant change of diet on their own. This is where I come in. My mission is to help eliminate the potential obstacles that keep you from meeting your personal food goals by giving you the tools and techniques that I have developed throughout my extensive culinary career. Through individualized instruction, in your kitchen or via Skype, I will help make cooking Paleo quick, painless, and enjoyable.