About the Chef

Brief Biography of a Chef

I love food, and ever since I was seven and learned to fry my own egg, I've been hooked on cooking. I began my self-taught career as a chef at age eleven, when I opened my own "bakery", a small home-based operation that produced batches of gingerbread, shortbread, muffins and sheet cakes for family, friends and bake sales. Soon after, I became obsessed with cooking and nutrition, and since I was homeschooled, I had plenty of time to peruse my books on cooking and nutrition. With my large, hungry family as guinea pigs, I experimented with everything from sushi, stir-fries and seaweed to donuts, pies and cookies, to lasagna and enchiladas and Indian cuisine.

My four siblings and I were raised vegetarian, which helped me develop a deep respect for the food that sustains us. I believe that eating good food is one of the most important things that people can do to maintain a healthy lifestyle. I've also discovered that healthy eating never has to be boring.

To that end, I collect cookbooks, host frequent dinner parties, and my comprehensive knowledge of food and nutrition is continually growing, gleaned from books, other chefs and lots of practice — including personal projects like preparing dinner for the 140 guests who attended my wedding in 2001.

Although I find that spending an afternoon preparing dinner for my husband and myself is one of the most pleasurable ways to spend my time, I realize that many people don't have either the time or the inclination to spend much time cooking. I also see few options available if one wants tasty, healthy food but can't spend hours in the kitchen. So, SaraCooks personal chef service was born: "Where food is art, and you get to eat it!"