About Me

Like a lot of people, I took a sharp left turn at some point and ended up in culinary school. It wasn’t entirely random. I’d always loved to cook.

My mom, a proper Southern cook, taught me early how to pull off a real Sunday dinner–the kind that brings people to the table and keeps them there. That part stuck.

Today, food remains my favorite way to bring people together.

After Le Cordon Bleu, things moved quickly. I spent a little over a decade working in television as a food and lifestyle expert, staring in series on Bravo (Workout), Food Network (Private Chefs of Beverly Hills), and Oprah Winfrey Network (Home Made Simple). At the same time, I was building a catering business and working high-end events in New York City and Los Angeles.

Somewhere in there, I toured with a pop star, started a meditation center, and taught at The New School of Cooking and Epicurean Culinary School.

These days, I’m the Head Chef and Director of Violet Cooking School, and Director of Programming and Special Events for two popular restaurants in Los Angeles, Violet Bistro and The Wilkes. This was a long way of saying I cook, plan things, and make sure people have a really good time.

I’ve been married to my husband Christopher for a long time. We have two great kids and a scrappy little dog. We like to call ourselves blue-collar gays living in the “slums” of Beverly Hills, which is exactly as ridiculous (and lovely) as it sounds.

About This Space

Memoirs of a Gay Chef is where I share food that’s easy to love. Recipes you’ll actually make, things you can pull together without overthinking, and a few small upgrades that make everything taste better. The kind of food people gather around.

It’s about food, obviously. But also the process, the mess, and the parts no one really explains when you’re learning how to cook. And then, inevitably, the life stuff.

This isn’t precious. It’s not about perfection. It’s about cooking in a way that feels good, without making it more complicated than it needs to be.

I’ve been doing this work for a long time. And when something becomes your job, it’s easy to lose the part of it you loved in the first place.

This space is how I stay connected to that. By getting back in the kitchen and sharing what I know.

Stay a while.

Subscription

If you want in, you can subscribe here.

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What you get

Full archive
Everything I’ve written, plus whatever comes next.

New posts, sent directly
Not daily. Not aggressive. Just when there’s something worth sharing.

A like-minded crew
People who like food, stories, and figuring things out as they go.

Membership Options

If you want a little more access, there are a couple of ways to go deeper:

$0/month - Free Subscription
Plug in with my weekly newsletter featuring recipes, kitchen tips, life hacks and more.

$8/month - Pantry Level
Unlock exclusive recipes, extra content, and a bit more from behind the scenes.

$25/month - At The Table
Access all of the above, plus a monthly virtual cooking class where we’ll cook together live. Recordings available if you can’t make it.

The monthly class is where it really comes to life.