My Story

Food has always been a central part of my story. I grew up in my father’s restaurant, Fortune House Seafood Restaurant. For over 25 years I observed the challenges of running a successful restaurant including the high level of competition in Vancouver’s restaurant industry, managing staffing costs, managing profit margins for various menu items, and managing and training staff to provide excellent customer service. I also experienced the joy of being a part of Vancouver’s food scene, being able to pursue our family’s passion of providing great food, and the satisfaction of seeing people enjoy the food we served.

I’m grateful for the opportunities to study Food and Nutrition at UBC, Culinary Arts at the Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts, and a Master’s in Food Culture & Communications at the University of Gastronomic Sciences in Pollenzo, Italy. My education has grown my understanding of nutrition, developed my cooking skills, and deepened my vision for how food can be used to change the world for good.

For five years I worked as a Nutrition Consultant and Recipe Analyst with the Heart & Stroke Foundation’s Health Check Restaurant Program. I worked with restaurants such as BC Ferries, Boston Pizza and White Spot to make menu items healthier. I’ve also worked with the Informed Dining Program for many years, helping restaurants like Sammy J Peppers, Aphrodites Pie Shop, and Spinnaker’s Gastro Brewpub, perform nutritional breakdowns of all their recipes to allow their menu to cater to more varied dietary preferences.

For several months I taught cooking to vulnerable communities in London, England with the Jamie Oliver Ministry of Food Foundation (now called Food Academy). Many of the children I worked with were from marginalized communities and had never tasted real fruit juice. I experienced how food education could empower these children.

Guided by the way I see how food can be used to bridge cultures, bring justice, and inspire positive change in communities, I began Food Connections with the vision of creating impact through food. I do this by helping values-aligned food businesses start-up, grow, and reach their goal through a well-crafted strategy that attracts customer loyalty to the heart and vision behind their product. I specialize in creative storytelling for businesses and charities through events and videos that awaken action. My life’s work revolves around food and community, and Food Connections is a way I live out my calling in life.

Want to learn more about what I do? You can read about the services I offer and about past work that I’ve done. If you’re interested in working with me, the next step is for us to meet up or chat. I’d love to hear your story. Just contact me.