My culinary journey began in my childhood, surrounded by the vibrant flavors and scents of my family's herb farm in the rural town of Tamworth, NSW, Australia.
Growing up amidst chickens, cows, and expansive gardens, my parents instilled in me a love for food and cooking.
Yearning for a culinary education, I left school to enrol in a local trade school, where I got my diploma in small business catering, before apprenticing at a prestigious hotel in Canberra, Australia, where I got my trade certificate in Commercial Cookery.

In 2001, I opened my first restaurant named Sage, a cute little fine-dining restaurant in a charming historic art precinct of Canberra. Sage won a coveted Chefs Hat from the Sydney Morning Herald. 
Grazing was our next restaurant project; a rural farm-based restaurant where the kitchen staff and I would tend the 2 acres of vegetable gardens in-between lunch and dinner services.
Balancing my passion for teaching and cooking, we sold Sage in 2008 to establish ForChefs, a private training school for apprentice chefs. ForChefs won a national prize for excellence in training. 
In 2009, my focus shifted to my young family, so I got out of restaurants and decided to open a patisserie, naming it "Knead".
 In 2013, we moved to Canada, where we founded Crust, a beloved little bakery, in downtown Victoria BC. 

"Tombo" is my most recent culinary adventure in Victoria BC. It is an all-day casual dining cafe and bakery. Located at 732 Yates St., Tombo is a celebration of things that are dear to me: great food, delicious baking, wines, beers, music and art. All of which are as local as possible, hand-made and fun!
Tombo is open 7 days from 8am-4pm.

Today, I continue to enjoy my culinary pursuits on Vancouver Island, savoring moments with my family. My life journey emphasizes the importance of family, love, and togetherness through the lens of food.