Jennifer spent her early years in the kitchen with her grandmother making homemade pasta, foraging for blackberries, and using up every leftover available. Her food is heavily influenced by her Italian family, the seasonal bounty of the Pacific Northwest, and preserving foods, recipes, and techniques from past generations. Jennifer graduated from The Seattle Culinary Academy and began her career working in restaurants under Jonathan Sundstrom at Lark Seattle. From there she branched out to be a private chef and caterer with time spent at Beecher's Handmade Cheese as a Cheese Analyst. One of two analysts responsible for overseeing and grading each lot of cheese for release. Jennifer's teaching philosophy is to engage, mentor, and share her passion for food and hospitality and connecting to culture and tradition.