I grew up in a family that cooks… Mom valued the early frozen convenience products (fish sticks & Tater Tots on babysitter nights!), while my grandmothers let me gain hands-on experience with “easy scratch” helpers (hello Shake & Bake pork chops and Bisquick chicken & dumplings!). It also helped that I grew up in the San Joaquin Valley in California where school field trips included a dairy, cattle ranch, cattle auction, chicken farm, meatpacking plant, fruit/vegetable cannery, and many local farms to harvest our own fruits and vegetables.
But my true love is in serving food (and wine) which led to a career in hospitality that included 100s of weddings, holiday parties, conventions, corporate retreats, cocktail parties on yachts, and even Mickey Mouse shaped pizzas.
And now my passion is in exploring consumer rituals and habits around food like:
Meatless Monday
Taco Tuesday
Wheat-free Wednesday
Thirsty Thursday (my personal favorite!)
Flash Fried Friday
Sushi Saturday
Sun-Dried Sunday
How can I help create the next named ritual!?