*Photos courtesy of State Bird Provisions*

"There has never been an "a-ha" revelation for me, but rather a series of incredible food experiences that have constantly reaffirmed my love of cooking and the power food has over people.

I've been intrigued by food ever since I could remember, but being from the suburbs in the midwest, the closest I could get to the exotic flavors of the globe was watching PBS and Great Chefs. As an aspiring chef, I moved from NYC to Los Angeles, Chicago to San Francisco. In that time I've experienced so many amazing tastes from cultures all over the world. Reality is so much tastier then I could have possibly imagined as a kid.

It's those experiences that drive me, keep me motivated. I feel connected to the world through food. Cooking is hard work, but i wouldn't want to do any other job."

As told to Elizabeth DePalmer