My Story

Where I've Been. What Drives Me.

I grew up in the foothills of the Ozarks, where food wasn't just something you ate, it was how families survived, celebrated, solved problems, and stayed connected. My grandparents' kitchens, gardens, roadside restaurants, and community tables taught me lessons that no culinary school ever could.

Life took me far beyond those dirt roads. Over the last fifty years I've cooked in legendary New Orleans restaurants, played music in Jackson Square, traveled across America chasing ideas and experiences, worked alongside remarkable chefs, farmers, teachers, students, nonprofits, businesses, and communities, and helped lead projects that use food to strengthen people and places.

The journey hasn't always been easy. Like many people, I've known loss, uncertainty, and moments that changed everything. Those experiences taught me that the most meaningful conversations happen around a dinner table.