Visiting Chef Series

Sous Chef
Pure Roots Provisions
Food network 'chopped' champion

I grew up in Iowa with my mom’s side of the family. We always had family gatherings where everyone cooked and contributed. Some of my favorite food memories are making cookies and Christmas desserts with my cousins, gardening with my great-grandmother and just enjoying our family gatherings. When we moved to Pennsylvania, I got to experience my dad’s side of the family, which was just as fun but a little smaller. Learning about new foods and having my dad take my brother and I places to try food was exciting. He instilled that you’ll never know if you don’t like something if you aren’t willing to try it. Which is something I've pretty much followed for as long as I can remember.

When I was a teenager is really when I began to cook for my family and help my dad with holiday dinners.

After graduating from high school and attending community college for a year, I decided to start visiting culinary schools and fell in love with Penn College. My first semester was very rough, and I was almost ready to leave when Chef Mike Ditchfield talked me into staying for just one semester, which turned into many. Throughout my time at Penn College I loved going to the Kentucky Derby, the PA Farm show, many Finger Lakes winery trips, giving Penn College Open House tours, cooking for various Visiting Chef dinners, tutoring, lab assisting, etc. I tried to fully immerse myself. While also attending culinary school, I worked for Le Jeune Chef (front and back of house at different times) and was in the national honors society. Ultimately, I graduated in 2013 from Penn College with a Bachelor of Science in culinary arts and systems and a minor in small business and entrepreneurship.

After Penn College I moved to the Philadelphia area to work at Savona for Penn College grad Andrew Masciangelo ’97. While at Savona I moved through the ranks and was on the list for 20 sous chefs to watch for in Philly. Following that, I learned more Italian under the Zavino and Tredici restaurants with Chef Carlos Aparicio, then opened Amis in Devon with Chef Brad Spence. After working many openings, I settled at Ripplewood Whiskey & Craft for three years with Chef Biff Gottehrer. Within all of these wonderful establishments, I learned so many skills and met so many chefs. Which is why I have landed back with Chef Andrew Masciangelo and Pure Roots Provisions in King of Prussia. This is an evolving concept of a food hall-style establishment that is in the works. Currently we do mainly corporate catering and takeout food for customers.

In between a few restaurants, I was lucky enough to be asked to be on “Chopped” on the Food Network. Such a fun and rewarding experience that was! I won my first time and was asked to return for a champions episode where I won the first but lost in the second episode. Meeting everyone on that show, from the contestants to the celebrity chefs, was just something that was a way to feel as though my education really helped me to get where I was at that moment in time.

Things I enjoy beyond the culinary world: the Philadelphia Eagles, animals (especially my girl, Ally), spending time with my family, boyfriend and close friends, eating out at local restaurants, hiking, traveling and exploring, and skydiving (although I’ve only been four times, I’d go a million more).