Why I Do What I Do

Feeding someone is an act of love.

This is something that I believe deep in my core. It’s a primal human trait that unites us all—from the time we are newborns, the primary way we bond with our parents is through feeding.

We bring soup to a friend who’s feeling under the weather. We welcome a new neighbor with baked goods. We lovingly prepare feasts for family and friends to celebrate holidays. When there’s a new baby in our social circle, meals are prepared and given to help sleepless new parents lighten the load a bit; and when we lose someone we love, casseroles appear and comfort us when words fail us.

As a little girl, I remember standing at my grandma’s elbow as she baked the most delicious pies and made Sunday pot roast for our extended family, and marveling at how she could take just a few ingredients and create something that made everyone so happy.

I remember thinking, wouldn’t it be wonderful to be able to do that myself?

Through trial and many moments of humbling error, I learned some basic kitchen skills, and could put together a respectable meal. In the process, I found that the essential ingredients for being a successful cook are passion and risk-taking. (Ask me about mopping hot pork gravy off my kitchen ceiling sometime…).

Applying these two ingredients to my basic cooking skills helped me discover another passion: building community through the sharing of delicious food.  Initially, that expressed itself through hosting holiday and seasonal dinner parties for family and friends, and eventually I was able to build my confidence enough to cook for company events too. 

In 2017, I joined a California-based co-op of community chefs called Josephine. I was excited to make homemade healthy meals for my neighbors, and I was delighted to find a way to connect with each other on a basic but vital level—sharing good food and building friendships. 

My kitchen became a meeting-place for clients to gather, chat and share a glass of wine while picking up their lovingly prepared meals each week. Sadly, the co-op was not able to secure their second venture-funding round, and Josephine came to an end in 2018.

I’ve spent the past year thinking, dreaming and planning a way to continue to bring people together as a community over good food and connection.

Having started out as a non-cook, I know how intimidating it can be to prepare a meal for family and friends, or even for ourselves when we feel we don’t have the time or knowledge or confidence we think is needed for being a good cook. I get a great deal of joy from sharing my knowledge and day-to-day skills in the kitchen with folks who have a curiosity about food, wine and cocktails ( I can sling a mean Manhattan!).

Here is where I will be sharing recipes, tips, tricks and stories about cooking, eating and drinking in my hometown of Portland, Oregon.

I invite you to take a look at the classes and services I offer here, reach out and join me in sharing the love, one meal at a time.

Cheers,

Teresa

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