I always felt right at home in the kitchen.

After college, I farmed around Australia and SE Asia for over a year. I was harvesting some Shiraz in Australia and decided to take a taste test.

Apparently I was a critic at a very young age, disguises and all!

Learning how to properly break down a chicken at culinary school

My first big interview was with Tony Bourdain. He was a journalist's dream, as you can imagine.

Rolling out pie dough with my mom

I lived in Barcelona during college, and this was taken during a jaunt over to Firenze. I've always gotten along with chefs, even if they're just statues.

When I worked at the LA Times I had the pleasure of hosting a Top Chef panel at their annual food festival. We got the whole crowd to chant "pea puree" with Alex.

I swam competitively from age 5 thru college. Go Team USA!

Earlier this year, I went sailing in South Australia and learned to catch and clean squid. It's a messy job, but it was the best calamari I've ever had!

My younger brother and I were big Batman geeks growing up. Perhaps this is incriminating, but I'm proud of my nerdy side.

Back at the Times I did a demo of Michael Voltaggio's modernist buffalo wings from season 6. He spoon fed me celery root puree. I could have died and gone to heaven.

This is my Shiba Inu named Bento. He's the love of my life!

Quizzing an audience member about the difference between mezcal and tequila at an LA Times event. I'd had a few too.

My amazing family in Hawaii back in the day. We've always been water people.

I've practiced yoga for almost 10 years now. It keeps me balanced. Here I was practicing in Belize with a fellow travel writer.

I ran into Marcel and Stefan one night a few years ago at the Bazaar in LA. Good times!

Diving with a giant clam. This is NOT the kind you want to eat!

I am totally the single girl that treats her dog like a kid. But look at that face!