Soul woman chef...

I am deeply passionate about creating innovative food using quality safe and clean fresh produce. Being of Sicilian heritage, my heart lies naturally within the pages of Italian cuisine, while my inspiration takes me-and you-on a culinary journey of world food flavours.

With 15 years as a qualified chef, and seven years jointly owning and running a successful restaurant, I have had an amazing opportunity to experience many hands-on aspects of the food industry. As executive chef and business partner of Mondo Organics in Brisbane's West End, I was able to co-develop a restaurant, cooking school, catering arm and weekend market, designed to create an awareness around organics, whole foods and natural, clean, fresh food cooking.

In 2007 I left Mondo Organics to launch my food education business, Pure Food Cooking, aimed at inspiring others to cook with whole foods and seasonal local produce to improve health, balance and vitality.

Services

My services include: cooking presentations, classes and demonstrations; recipe development; catering for small private and corporate functions; food styling and recipe writing for food companies, magazines and journals; product endorsements; editorials; and television appearances.

Pure Food Cooking

Currently, I facilitate private, public and corporate cooking classes throughout Brisbane and interstate,  an exciting recent initiative is the Pure Food School Program, in which I work closely with early childhood, primary, and secondary home economics teachers to develop a range of cooking classes and food exercises with a focus on fun and creativity.  Students learn about food and food cultures; acquire knife and food preparation skills; and learn to create simple, healthy recipes for the whole family. I choose to align myself with clients who are intent on creating positive change in the food, health food and education industries, and I focus on supporting local Queensland and Australian products.

My cooking classes and presentations are aimed at providing patrons with simple healthy recipes and the necessary skills to recreate these dishes. I have discovered that once people learn the skills to prepare healthy foods, they also gain a conscious awareness of their eating habits, including the consequences of their food choices-on themselves, their family and their surrounding environment. All classes and recipes can be adapted for dietary requirements, including vegan and vegetarian, and specific food allergies.

Media Engagements

Media appearances include a long-standing television role as chef on Channel 10's 'Ready Steady Cook'and guest chef appearances on 'The Circle' , Kerri-anne and 'The 7pm Project'. I also enjoy my regular national radio segments presenting healthy cooking tips, recipe ideas and ingredient information.  I welcome some exciting developments in my television career, and expand the recipe development, food styling and product promotion arm of Pure Food Cooking as ambassador for several local and international companies. I also continue my involvement in charity and community works supporting women and families, and teaching healthy sustainable cooking and lifestyle changes.

Cook Book and Sicilian Food Tours

My cook book "My Taste of Sicily"  was launched in August 2011 with Lantern publishing and focuses on simple, family friendly recipes with a Sicilian/Italian flavour, there is an array of wonderful vegetable dishes, desserts and some great one pot chicken, rabbit and beef dishes to tempt the most humble of cooks and the fussiest of eaters. My recipes also include some delicious and easy fish and seafood recipes great for weekend lunches or family dinners. The cook book is available nationally throughout Australia or  can be purchased directly through me.

Looking for a holiday with a unique food experience...... then contact me for more information on my "Pure Sicilian Food, Wine and Cooking Tours" starting in June 2012. I have two amazing tours on offer in June and September 2012, giving you a hands on cooking and dining extravaganza of this wonderful island of Sicily. If you think you have seen all of Italy and not been to Sicily... think again!

Personally from me ......"Through the sharing of food we share life and one is never lonely or hungry"

"I love the essence of clean, simple whole food cooking. There are still so many flavours that I have yet to explore. It is so wonderful to be a chef and to have available at my fingertips an amazing palette of different flavours and textures to create what I like to call little mouthfuls of flavour explosions."